Kristen, Lynette, and I sat in the stands with my parents. Roy Fennel was sitting next to me on the other side from Kristen.
“Merry seems quite good,” I said, impressed.
“Your sister works hard,” Lynette commented, watching the cheerleaders like a hawk. She had a little memo book and a pencil and it looked as if she was taking notes.
“I never knew she could do those flips,” my step-father commented.
“Merry’s almost got her aerial working,” Lynette said without looking up from her memo book. “She’s not ready to perform it, yet, but she’s getting there.”
I was confused. “What’s an aerial?”
Lynette didn’t move her eyes from the cheerleaders and her memo book, but continued to talk. “An aerial is what Sherry did at the end of her routine. That’s the flip where she went completely around without her hands touching the ground. Merry is still working on that. Ms. D. doesn’t allow any girls to perform such a move during a game until they show real proficiency. An aerial looks impressive, but if a girl misses it, it makes the whole team look silly. Merry’s getting there, but she’s not quite there yet.”
“Ah,” said my step-father.
The marching band played the national anthem, and then sat in the stands, occasionally playing some uncoordinated music. I wondered what I could do to help the band sound better. Despite the fact that I wasn’t in the marching band, they were still representing my school, and anything I could do to help out would help out the school.
The cheerleaders did a pep number featuring a few girls—including Merry—ending up in a side-split, with the rest of the girls standing behind them. All the cheerleaders held their pom-poms in their hands. I was actually proud of my sister.
At half time, the marching band did their show. I saw most of the band’s moves that one time I was hanging out in the stands, and once again, I noticed that the balance of the music, as heard in the stands, could be improved. The patterns they did were slightly different from when I saw them before, though, and the effect was a bit better in terms of hearing the band, but I still thought something could be done to improve them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t an expert on marching bands—we’d probably have to rely on Roger Harris’ expertise.
The football team won, which brought up our spirits at the end of the game. The cheerleaders performed their drills pretty nicely as well.
Merry came running out to where all of us were standing after the game carrying her athletic bag. She was now wearing her “street clothes.” Sherry wasn’t far behind her.
After the game, we met at Vaughn’s for the second night in a row, except that Roy Fennel and Sherry Jordan accompanied us.
“Well, if it isn’t the birthday boy!” the waitress said, smiling as she recognized me from the previous night.
I reddened in response, and most everybody laughed, with the exception of Roy and Sherry. Merry delighted in telling them about how everybody in Vaughn’s surprised me last night.
Sherry smiled. “The cheerleaders did something similar to that to Oogie yesterday as well.” She went on to describe to my parents what happened yesterday, and even admitted to setting the whole thing up.
“It seems my boy is quite popular at school,” my mother said proudly.
“Jim’s a wonderful person, Mrs. Cummings,” Sherry said, smiling at me. “In the last year or so, he’s reached out and helped quite a lot of people. He’s kind and caring, and seems to be willing to help out anybody who has a problem. He has the music department put on some really great shows, and he’s right now assisting people who want to perform in the talent show.”
Mom turned to Roy and said, “Jim said you’d be doing a duet of a Chopin piece with Amy Grant.”
Roy didn’t realize it was a Chopin song, actually. He looked at me, and I nodded slightly. “Yes, ma’am. Amy Grant and I will be doing a number together.”
I think my mother caught the look between the two of us, but didn’t press the issue. Instead she steered the conversation away from me and toward Roy and then Merry.
It was Merry who first spoke up. “Mom, Roy and I have just been talking to one another at school. It’s not as if we’re going out on dates.”
Merry’s father picked up on that. “My dear, you’re only fifteen years old!”
“I’m going to be sixteen in a couple of weeks!”
The conversation turned uncomfortable, but the waitress showed up with the food at that moment.
We ate in an uneasy silence.
After about five minutes, Lynette broke the silence. “Merry, did Mrs. D. tell you when you’d be able to do the aerial during a performance?”
Merry shrugged. “Maybe in a couple of weeks.”
“The weekend after this, let’s work on them together at the park, if the weather permits. Sherry, would you be able to help out? It would be best if there was more than one spotter.”
Sherry nodded, happy that there was conversation once again. “Sure, Lynette. Merry’s pretty close to getting it.”
The conversation now turned toward the cheerleaders’ performance and other things.
When the meal was done, Kristen picked up the tab. My parents were used to her doing this and didn’t make a big fuss. I knew that Merry was going to have to have a long conversation with our parents. I only wished I could be around to give her some support. However, my behavior at her age was bound to come up during these conversations, and it would probably be for the best if I wasn’t there. If she needed any help, I knew that she’d find me in school and talk to me on Monday.
Lynette drove Roy and Sherry home, and then met Kristen and me at the air field. Uncle Jerry picked us up and we took our first night flight into Chicago.
The trip was quiet, and it was obvious that Kristen, Lynette, and I were all thinking about Merry and my parents. Uncle Jerry noticed our mood and we traveled in peace.
We stayed at the same hotel we did last year on my sixteenth birthday. However, this year, we got a different room which was a two bedroom suite, rather than the one bedroom suite we used last year.
It was nearly midnight when we got to the hotel. Lynette emptied our suitcases, and Kristen took a hot bath. I debated my options, and when Lynette finished unpacking, I suggested that she keep Kristen company.
Lynette asked, “Are you sure?”
“I’m tired. I’ve got a lot on my mind, and we have a game to go to tomorrow.”
Lynette simply nodded and went into the bathroom. I heard the two girls whispering, but I ignored them. There was a late movie showing on one of the television stations, and I turned off the lights in the bedroom.
I was still awake when the girls came out of the bathroom, both wearing towels. I pretended to be asleep, and neither girl bothered me.
I was in a better mood when I woke up the next morning. Kristen and Lynette were still asleep on either side of me. I needed to go to the bathroom, so I slipped out of the bed as carefully as I could so as not to wake up the two of them. As I moved out of the bed, the two girls seemed to roll toward one another, as if to make up for my now-empty spot.
At the foot of the bed, I stared at the two ladies. They looked so peaceful as they slept. I realized that the reason we were here in Chicago was to celebrate my birthday, and that I did the two women a disservice by being moody all night.
“I love you,” I murmured to the two of them, meaning it to both of them.