{"id":184,"date":"2016-09-04T15:34:34","date_gmt":"2016-09-04T19:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.herbheineman.com\/?page_id=184"},"modified":"2024-07-25T16:35:15","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T20:35:15","slug":"chapter-14","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/edensgarden\/chapter-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 14: Soccer"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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PART II<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It was said that Josh Rabin had broken up more attacks than any of his contemporaries in the Public School League. Less well publicized was that in his years as fullback for Central High\u2019s soccer team, he had never received a warning from a referee. In fact, no one could remember when last he had committed a foul. He liked to think of soccer as performance art.<\/p>

He would have been a fan of professional soccer too, had the game enjoyed the status of football and hockey. Since it didn\u2019t, he\u2019d settled for hockey, because it bore a certain resemblance.<\/p>

His date had shown him the bright side. Hockey was an easier conduit to Eden.<\/p>

~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>

A good night\u2019s sleep restored Eden\u2019s ability to think. She figured it was a matter of time before Josh would want to talk about soccer, maybe invite her to see him play. She could do herself a favor by learning the game. The challenge was doing it so casually that no one would ask about her sudden interest. Watching team practice seemed less risky than making a special trip to see a game. To her dismay, when she got to the field that afternoon, she encountered half a dozen girls who recognized her, and one of them was Debbie. It was too late to retreat.<\/p>

\u201cHi, look who\u2019s here!\u201d Debbie greeted her loudly enough for all to hear.<\/p>

\u201cHi,\u201d Eden answered cheerily. \u201cAre you waiting for Josh?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo, he knows the way home. At least, he used to, but right now maybe he could use a guiding hand. We\u2019re worried he may sleepwalk to someone else\u2019s house by mistake.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhose house, and who are \u2018we\u2019 that worry about him?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYour guess is as good as mine about whose house \u2015 maybe better. \u2018We\u2019 are his family.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYou\u2019re being too mysterious for me. If it\u2019s not Josh you\u2019re waiting for, who is it?\u201d<\/p>

A knowing smile creased Debbie\u2019s face. \u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI only decided about five minutes ago,\u201d Eden lied. \u201cYou must be a mind reader.\u201d<\/p>

Debbie stuck out her face and showed her teeth. \u201cSome women have more intuition than others. He\u2019s over there.\u201d She pointed to the opposite end of the field.<\/p>

Eden looked downfield and recognized Josh. Tall and slender in blue shorts and yellow shirt, legs slightly apart, knees bent, as another player dribbled the ball toward him. She had never paid attention to his legs before, even though he often wore shorts in the summer.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. You said something?\u201d She realized Debbie was speaking.<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s Mike Wharton with the ball. Star striker.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHow do you know all those guys?\u201d Eden asked.<\/p>

\u201cLiving in the same house with a soccer player. You learn the game and the players. You cheer for the home team, boo the opposition.\u201d Eden laughed, remembering the hockey game.<\/p>

\u201cWhat\u2019s funny?\u201d Debbie asked.<\/p>

\u201cNever mind.\u201d<\/p>

By this time Mike was almost on top of Josh. Eden waited anxiously for the collision. But there was none. Mike veered sharply to his right, and immediately Josh veered even more sharply to his<\/em> left, stole the ball, and tapped it gently up field. Eden could not hear the coach\u2019s words, but she did see Mike give a thumbs-up sign to Josh before turning to retrieve the ball.<\/p>

\u201cI know nothing about soccer,\u201d Eden said, \u201cbut Josh looks pretty good too.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIn all kinds of ways,\u201d Debbie said. One of the other girls giggled.<\/p>

\u201cHey, wait a minute!\u201d Eden raised her voice. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d<\/p>

Instead of answering, Debbie took Eden by the arm and led her off the field. \u201cWas it really me you were waiting for?\u201d Eden asked.<\/p>

\u201cLet\u2019s wait till we\u2019re out of here,\u201d Debbie answered, quickening her pace. \u201cI didn\u2019t start out being an eavesdropper, but when Mom and Dad talk with their door open, I don\u2019t cover my ears either. Last night she said something about Josh acting strange.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cStrange, how?\u201d Eden asked, aiming for the right degree of interest.<\/p>

\u201cFound him sitting in the car.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cGod, was something wrong?\u201d Eden was truly alarmed now and unable to hide it.<\/p>

\u201cNo. He\u2019d just been dreaming. The engine was off. I missed most of what came after that, but then Dad laughed and said something about a girlfriend. Of course, you can just tell me to butt out.\u201d Debbie was looking in front of her, the faintest hint of amusement in her eyes.<\/p>

\u201cSo you came to see for yourself, is that it?\u201d Suddenly Debbie struck her as a gossip.<\/p>

\u201cIt was sheer accident that I overheard them, believe me. Now you\u2019re mad at me, and I don\u2019t want that. Just try to forget everything I said and I promise to say no more about it.\u201d<\/p>

Eden\u2019s anger melted away as fast as it had arisen. Of course Debbie was not to blame. A titillating fragment of conversation had fallen on her ears, and she had had the decency not to make a public display, other than those ambiguous remarks at the practice field.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Debbie. I shouldn\u2019t have blown up. I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m so touchy.\u201d<\/p>

Debbie looked at her expectantly.<\/p>

\u201cSo what was<\/em> I doing at the soccer field?\u201d Eden saved Debbie the question \u201cI guess I just wanted to see.\u201d Debbie said nothing.<\/p>

\u201cAren\u2019t you going to say something?\u201d Now Debbie\u2019s silence was bothering her more than her teasing. But Debbie had no desire to hurt her friend. Her expression became serious.<\/p>

\u201cI wish you\u2019d never got sick. We\u2019re the same age and you\u2019re a year behind me. It makes me feel older when I\u2019m not, and sometimes I seem to be offending you when I don\u2019t want to. We used to enjoy teasing each other. Now it doesn\u2019t feel safe.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t feel that way. It\u2019s not your fault I had to repeat the year. You could have walked away from me and you didn\u2019t, and I\u2019ll never forget that. I\u2019m sure your classmates are more interesting company than I am. But I hope we can always be friends.\u201d<\/p>

They linked arms. \u201cClassmates are OK for shop talk, but that doesn\u2019t make them friends. You\u2019re much more fun to be with.\u201d<\/p>

Eden\u2019s heart skipped a beat. Was that a standard expression among the Rabins?<\/p>

\u201cDebbie, can I trust you?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>

Eden took a deep breath. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s just as well you overheard. I\u2019m not the kind of girl that boys drool over and I\u2019m totally confused. I really loved the hockey game and I learned more than I ever thought. But there was something else. I\u2019ve known Josh for ages, and it\u2019s been strictly kid-next-door stuff. I\u2019ve always liked him. He\u2019s clever and funny. But this is the first time you weren\u2019t there. It\u2019s as if someone had thrown a switch, like people look different in different-color light. I felt it at the arena, and all we\u2019d talked about was hockey! It was him, not anything he said. . . . This sounds crazy. You\u2019d better stop me.\u201d Debbie didn\u2019t. \u201cThen, at the deli he talked about something coming over him. Not that night but sometime before. He wanted to tell me about it, but it would take too long, so he took me home. He seemed so \u2015 what\u2019s the word? \u2015 introspective. So different from all the other boys.\u201d<\/p>

Debbie allowed herself a smile. \u201cSo what happened?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019d done nothing but talk all night. But when we were outside the deli, I just took his hand. It was as if my hand were acting all by itself and I wasn\u2019t controlling it. And it felt so good I didn\u2019t want to let go, but of course I had to when we got to the car.\u201d<\/p>

Debbie said nothing. \u201cLater, when I was alone, I thought about what had happened, and I didn\u2019t know what to do next. I couldn\u2019t just call him. So I got the idea of going to soccer practice. Maybe by just watching him I\u2019d get some idea. Boy, do I sound stupid! I sure feel stupid, following him around like a puppy, but I haven\u2019t the faintest idea what to say to him.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to worry,\u201d Debbie said. \u201cHe\u2019ll come to you.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>

Debbie looked at her in astonishment. \u201cGood Lord, what do you think he<\/em> was dreaming about when Mom dug him out of the garage?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI guess that makes sense. Does all this sound crazy to you?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAh, love! It must be wonderful.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh come on. You know it\u2019s nothing like that. I mean, what can he possibly see in me?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m happy for you, Edie, I really mean that. Who cares what you call it? You obviously have something he likes. Give him time and he\u2019ll tell you what. Let me tell you something about Josh. You know, he and I, we\u2019re always insulting each other, but it\u2019s always in fun. To tell the truth, I\u2019ve always liked him, just like you have, and even looked up to him. Now I hope I can trust you, because if this gets back to him I\u2019ll be so embarrassed I\u2019ll die.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI won\u2019t tell him, not a word,\u201d Eden said.<\/p>

\u201cThis thing he talks about, he calls it becoming more human. I like that too. I don\u2019t quite understand it, but whatever it is, it\u2019s making him more serious and more respectful.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDo you think it has to do with growing up, like maturing?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s probably got something to do with it,\u201d Debbie answered thoughtfully. \u201cI\u2019m really going to miss him when he goes off to college. If he goes out of town.\u201d<\/p>

Eden felt a pang of bereavement. It took her several seconds to steady her voice. \u201cIf Josh and I were to go out again, how would your parents feel about that?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMy parents? They\u2019ve always liked you and I can\u2019t imagine they\u2019d object the least bit. Josh is certainly old enough to have a girlfriend, and who could be better than you?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cBut I\u2019m not even sixteen.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cEven if my parents thought that was a problem, they\u2019d trust your parents to deal with it. I\u2019ll tell you one thing. If I had a boy I felt about the way you seem to feel about Josh, and my parents objected, I\u2019d give them a hard time.\u201d<\/p>

Eden laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s only been one date, you know!\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOK, maybe it\u2019s too soon to call it anything, but it sure sounds like it to me.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s a lot of \u201cits.\u201d Care to define them one by one?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSelf-evident. Anyway, we ought to get a bus, else we\u2019ll end up walking all the way and missing dinner. Shall I tell him you were at soccer? I doubt that he saw you.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo. . . . On second thought, you could mention it casually and see what he says.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI promised to keep your confidence, not to be your spy! . . .OK, just this once.\u201d<\/p>

Josh came home an hour after them and dropped his bag at the bottom of the stairs.<\/p>

\u201cI saw you at the field. You left early. Did you get bored?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSee one practice session, you\u2019ve seen \u2019em all.\u201d She faked a yawn.<\/p>

\u201cHah-hah. What was Edie doing there? I didn\u2019t know she was interested in soccer.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMaybe she is,\u201d Debbie said with a deadpan expression. He realized she wasn\u2019t going to give him an opening, and he was of no mind to give her one. He would have been shocked to learn how much knowledge Debbie was privy to. In any case, if Eden were now interested in soccer\u00a0\u2014 for whatever reason\u00a0\u2014 that gave him his next opening.<\/p>

After dinner he called her.<\/p>

\u201cHi, Josh,\u201d she said, in a voice whose subtle breathlessness was not lost on Karen. Eden wondered whether he had seen her at soccer practice. Or perhaps Debbie had betrayed her confidence? No, that couldn\u2019t be. Josh\u2019s voice cut into her thoughts.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re playing Germantown High this Saturday. Soccer. Want to come? Now that you\u2019re an expert on hockey, maybe you\u2019d like to compare.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019d love to.\u201d She answered with such alacrity that her mother must surely have noticed. Karen inconspicuously left the room.<\/p>

\u201cSeems like one thing leads to another.\u201d Eden wondered how he would interpret that. \u201cFirst hockey because it\u2019s like skating, then soccer because it\u2019s like hockey. What\u2019s next?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cFootball,\u201d he answered cheerily. \u201cAlso uses a leather ball. You\u2019d enjoy meeting Truck.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cTruck? You call each other by your last names?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat isn\u2019t his last name, nor his first either. His name\u2019s Mack Rogers, and he\u2019s huge.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cGood grief!\u201d she groaned. \u201cI bet he\u2019s real proud of that name.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHe has this habit of coming at you as if his brakes didn\u2019t work. But he\u2019s a good guy.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I didn\u2019t mean it seriously.\u201d<\/p>

Josh laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s OK. He doesn\u2019t take offense. Anyway, come over about one. You can go with Debbie. I have to go to the field early.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m going to be quite a sports expert before we\u2019re finished!\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI saw you at practice,\u201d he said.<\/p>

\u201cAn impulse. I know as much about soccer as I did about hockey before you explained.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhat got you interested?\u201d As he feared, there was no answer. \u201cAre you still there?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m here.\u201d She pulled herself together. \u201cSoccer means such a lot to you, I thought I should learn something so I won\u2019t feel so dumb when you talk about it.\u201d<\/p>

By now he had recovered sufficiently not to ask any more. \u201cI hope you like it.\u201d<\/p>

Eden sat with Debbie and Max. Debbie clearly knew soccer as well as Josh knew hockey. Brushing aside Eden\u2019s apologies for her ignorance, she explained the essentials of the game.<\/p>

Eden recognized the similarities that Josh had talked about. She also noticed a difference, the amount of time the ball was in the air and the players\u2019 use of their heads.<\/p>

\u201cDoesn\u2019t that hurt?\u201d she asked as one player caught a thirty-yard kick on his forehead.<\/p>

\u201cThey have extra thick skulls,\u201d Debbie said. \u201cAnyway, the ball is full of air, just\u2014\u201d<\/p>

\u201c\u2014just like their heads. I understand.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cJosh\u2019ll be pleased with the quality of your instruction,\u201d Max cut in, addressing Debbie.<\/p>

\u201cJust repeating what he told me when I asked him the same thing.\u201d<\/p>

At that moment, a corner kick was delivered straight into the Central goalmouth. With a leap, Josh caught the ball on his forehead and sent it to the far edge of the penalty area, where another Central player trapped it and took it up field. Debbie turned to Eden and said,<\/p>

\u201cSee? He looks no worse than before.\u201d<\/p>

Eden thought Debbie\u2019s humor hid a good deal of pride. A spectator was patting Max on the back. \u201cTrust Rabin to save the home team! Too bad we won\u2019t have him a couple of years from now.\u201d<\/p>

Eden felt Debbie\u2019s eyes on her, but she kept hers firmly on the playing field.<\/p>

The first half ended scoreless. Ten minutes into the second, Mike Wharton broke through the Germantown defense and scored. A noisy demonstration erupted in the stands as Mike\u2019s father was mobbed by well-wishers. It seemed that every player had his personal fan club.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s good to be a hero\u2019s parent,\u201d Eden observed. \u201cWhat happens if a kid blunders?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cUnless it\u2019s a real important game, people feel sorry and don\u2019t make a fuss.\u201d<\/p>

For the next ten minutes the play was mostly in midfield, neither team securing an advantage. But as the game began to wind down, the Germantown attack became more aggressive. A hard drive by one of their strikers toward the corner of the goal almost tied the game. But the Central goalkeeper, Frank Swift, diving headlong to his right, deflected the ball outside the goalpost. His save was warmly applauded, but the play was not over. For the ball, instead of crossing the goal line for a corner kick, was trapped by a Germantown wing, who cross-passed it in front of the prone goalkeeper. A second striker pounced on it and sent it scooting toward the empty net. With Swift hopelessly out of position, Josh, the defender closest to the goal, dove headlong and stopped the ball with his hands. The whistle blew.<\/p>

The crowd was in an uproar. Most of them had never witnessed anything like it. There were cheers, catcalls, and heated discussion. The referee delivered a stern warning to Josh and held up a yellow card, then placed the ball on the penalty spot.<\/p>

\u201cPenalty shots always score,\u201d Debbie said despondently. \u201cI don\u2019t know why he had to do such a stupid thing. He was close enough to kick it out.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhy do they always score?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cLook. The ball\u2019s twelve yards out, dead in the middle, and look at the size of the goal.\u201d<\/p>

Eden looked and understood why the goalkeeper was at such a disadvantage. Unless the shot came straight at him, he\u2019d have to move one way or the other; and considering the speed of the ball, he\u2019d have to know which way to move almost before it was kicked.<\/p>

The penalty area was cleared. Out of a huddle a slightly built player emerged and began kicking the air as if testing whether his leg was securely attached.<\/p>

\u201cOh boy.\u201d Debbie\u2019s tone was ominous.<\/p>

\u201cYou know him too?\u201d Eden asked.<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s Joe Matthews. He has incredible aim. Josh says he\u2019s seen him hit a goalpost\u00a0\u2014 deliberately\u00a0\u2014 at fifty feet. That\u2019s for practice. For real, he puts it two inches inside.\u201d<\/p>

Frank stood in the middle of the goal, his arms halfway outstretched to both sides, rocking from one leg to the other.<\/p>

Joe backed away from the ball. He looked at Frank, then turned his head ever so slightly to the right. Frank prepared to dive to his left. Keeping his eye on the right upper corner, Joe began his run. This is too obvious, Frank thought. And indeed Joe, halfway down his run, threw a lightning glance to his left. Frank saw the movement and dove to his right as Joe\u2019s foot struck. The ball sailed insolently into the unguarded opposite side of the goal.<\/p>

\u201cStupidity!\u201d Debbie was furious. \u201cStupid heroics!\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s OK, Debbie,\u201d Max tried to console her. \u201cPeople make mistakes. Without Josh\u2019s save, they\u2019d have scored anyway. This way we had another chance.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSome chance!\u201d she fired back. \u201cHe had Frank fooled so bad it wasn\u2019t even funny.\u201d<\/p>

Several arguments were raging in the stands behind them. Josh\u2019s reputation was balanced precariously between heroism and irresponsibility.<\/p>

The visitors, revitalized by their equalizer, continued to press the offensive and scored two more times in the last ten minutes. Among the pundits in the stands Josh\u2019s stock plunged. At last a long whistle signaled the end of the game. Families and friends streamed onto the field. The home team, heads down, made for the locker room as fast as they could.<\/p>

\u201cCome over for hot chocolate,\u201d Max invited Eden. \u201cAs soon as Josh comes out.\u201d<\/p>

Debbie was still seething fifteen minutes later when Josh emerged, talking with two other players. Max waited for him to join them and they began the walk to the car.<\/p>

\u201cTough luck,\u201d Max said, putting a sympathetic arm on Josh\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>

\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t have fallen to pieces like that,\u201d Josh replied. \u201cAt least a tie.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYou should have won,\u201d Debbie said angrily, without looking at her brother. \u201cThey never got near your goal, not until that . . .\u201d She left the sentence unfinished.<\/p>

\u201cYou mean the penalty,\u201d Josh said. Eden waited for the argument that was sure to follow. To her surprise there was none. She wondered if the family had a rule about recriminations. She felt better with a change of subject. \u201cTell me how the cards work.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh God, yes!\u201d said Josh. \u201cMcDonough\u2019s one of the dirtiest players of all time. He should be benched for life, or sent to prison. But your question. The penalty systems are different in soccer and hockey. . . .\u201d\u00a0 Josh explained the card system, yellow for caution, red for ejection. \u201cIt cuts down on fighting. Hockey could use a disincentive like that.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMaybe the fans would be disappointed,\u201d Eden said.<\/p>

\u201cYeah, they\u2019d never come back.\u201d Josh laughed.<\/p>

They piled into the car and talked about other sports until they arrived at the Rabins\u2019. Over snacks, Josh related matter-of-factly what had happened in the last minutes of the game.<\/p>

\u201cWhat a shame!\u201d Esther said. \u201cI wish I\u2019d seen your save, it must have been spectacular. But the team folding because of a penalty goal. That I don\u2019t understand. Everybody knows penalty shots are hard to stop.\u201d My God! Eden thought. She too. \u201cSo why take it so badly?\u201d Esther went on. \u201cThat goal was no dishonor, and the game was only tied. . . . Oh, I\u2019m sorry, Josh. I shouldn\u2019t be nagging you. I\u2019m being insensitive.\u201d She put her hand on his arm.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s OK, Mom,\u201d Josh said somewhat tiredly. \u201cMaybe it was more them being fired up than us folding. We\u2019ll hear all about it from the coach. Maybe he\u2019ll have it figured out.\u201d<\/p>

Eden heard the despondency in Josh\u2019s voice. She would have liked to say something to comfort him, but she was afraid of Debbie. Who knows, in her present state Debbie might blurt out something like, \u201cWell, of course you\u2019re going to take his side.\u201d Debbie was looking sullenly at her plate and chewing ever so slowly \u2015 not a person to reason with.<\/p>

As Eden went to get her coat, Max came up behind her and said softly: \u201cThanks, Edie.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cFor what?\u201d she asked, surprised.<\/p>

\u201cThe way you redirected the conversation was brilliant. Debbie was really going after Josh. Sometimes she\u2019s hard to stop. She takes his games more seriously than he does.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh, Mr. Rabin,\u201d Eden answered, embarrassed, \u201cI wasn\u2019t being brilliant. I don\u2019t even know enough about soccer to argue. Especially with Debbie knowing so much more than me. It just seemed that he shouldn\u2019t have to take the blame for losing the game.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI think he\u2019d appreciate hearing that from you.\u201d<\/p>

Eden swung round in alarm. \u201cI don\u2019t dare to say anything in front of Debbie. She\u2019s so angry, and she\u2019ll think I\u2019m taking sides against her. I don\u2019t want that.\u201d<\/p>

Max stared at her bemused for a few seconds.<\/p>

\u201cAsk him to walk you home. It\u2019s almost dark. Or wait, I\u2019ll ask him.\u201d<\/p>

Eden tried to read Max\u2019s expression. What was he trying to do? Make Josh feel better about the game or give him a half hour alone with his \u201cgirlfriend\u201d? Of course, she didn\u2019t need to know Max\u2019s motives; the result was all she cared about.<\/p>

They had barely gone twenty paces before she said, \u201cYou know, this was your dad\u2019s idea. I didn\u2019t even pretend to object, but do you think he\u2019s trying to get us together?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t know about our talk at the deli,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe he\u2019s just observant.\u201d Or maybe Mom told him about the garage incident. But I\u2019m not going to tell Eden, not yet.<\/p>

Only after she heard his answer did Eden realize her question was predicated on Debbie\u2019s eavesdropping. She really would have to watch her step. \u201cScientists have to be.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIn matters like that, Mom\u2019s a better observer. But Dad\u2019s right, a girl needs an escort at this time of night.\u201d She laughed and impulsively took his hand. \u201cI don\u2019t know whether he thinks he\u2019s on to something,\u201d he went on, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, \u201cbut as long as he comes up with suggestions like this, I don\u2019t mind. Do you?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHe cornered me at the coat rack and thanked me for saving the conversation. I didn\u2019t like the way Debbie was beating up on you, but I didn\u2019t dare to come right out and say it.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAll she said was we should have won.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s all you heard her say. You should have heard her in the stands.\u201d<\/p>

Josh stopped and laughed out loud. \u201cOh, how I wish I had!\u201d he exclaimed. \u201cTell me.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo, I won\u2019t. If she wants you to hear it she\u2019ll have to tell you herself.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDear Debbie,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019d think it was her<\/em> team. But then, it is her school, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t you think it has more to do with her brother being on the team?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh, I guess so.\u201d He was more serious now. \u201cThat kind of play doesn\u2019t come up often. All I saw was the ball heading for the net, and I didn\u2019t think I could reach it with my foot. So I acted on reflex. I don\u2019t know if it was right or wrong. Some of the guys were pretty teed off. They felt the same as Debbie. But the coach told them to cool it. We\u2019ll go over it next week.\u201d<\/p>

They resumed walking.<\/p>

\u201cDidn\u2019t anyone<\/em> tell you it was the only thing you could do? Nobody spoke up for you?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo. But remember, we lost, and we lost big. They have to be thinking that my play was where things started to fall apart.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cBut that\u2019s so unreasonable!\u201d Eden was angry. \u201cFirst you save a sure goal, and it wasn\u2019t your fault the penalty shot scored. Then the team comes apart at the seams, and they\u2019re blaming you for that<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>

Josh disengaged his hand, took hers and drew it under his arm.<\/p>

\u201cIs this OK?\u201d he asked as they walked on.<\/p>

\u201cYes,\u201d she said softly, pulling his arm toward her. \u201cI think it was a marvelous play\u00a0\u2014 even though I might be a little biased. Why, even talking for the school, I could say that with a little luck on the penalty you would have won. And all because you saved the tying goal.\u201d<\/p>

He made no immediate response, so she said, \u201cBut the school isn\u2019t all that important.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cEdie?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThanks for coming.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m so glad I did. And except for you feeling bad and having to take a bum rap, I don\u2019t care that the team lost. Am I being disloyal?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYes, you are. What\u2019s worse, I\u2019m<\/em> being disloyal, because right now I don\u2019t feel all that upset about losing either. After walking with you and talking about it, and . . .\u201d pulling on her arm, \u201cI think I can take whatever the coach wants to hand out.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI hope he isn\u2019t hard on you.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. It was worth it.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Chapter 15 >><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PART II It was said that Josh Rabin had broken up more attacks than any of his contemporaries in the Public School League. Less well publicized was that in his years as fullback for Central High\u2019s soccer team, he had never received a warning from a referee. In fact, no one could remember when last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":21,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-184","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":771,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/184\/revisions\/771"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}