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Authors: Jolene Betty Perry
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try not to notice, hang my coat in the closet , and jog to the gym. It’s empty, but the balls are out and the lights are on. Paul did this for me, I’m sure. Well, he did it for everyone, but he knows how much I like to be in here alone, and how little it happens. I take the ball in my hands and let it slide through my palms. It feels good. I dribble a few times and step up to the free-throw line.
I have a routine. I get low. One… dribble, two… dribble, dribble, three… I let my legs straighten as I arc the ball. My first shot is nothing but net. It pulls a smile from my face like nothing else.
I chase my ball down and try not to think about the fact that Jeremy weaseled his way into helping me tonight. It’s not a date if we’re supervising a youth activity, right? I haven’t seen him in more than a month. This shouldn’t be a big deal. As the ball hits my hands, I forget about Jeremy again. My chest relaxes and I dribble back to the free-throw line. One… dribble, two… dribble, dribble, three…
A little rim, mostly net. Nice.
The missionaries walk in, followed by their investigator.
“Mind if we play?” Elder Smitts asks.
“Don’t pull me from my happy place and you can stay as long as you like.” I don’t turn toward them, just head back to the free-throw line. Again, nothing but net. This feels great, and better with each throw.
Elder Worthen jogs over, retrieves my ball and passes it to me. It hits my hands hard. A real throw. Nice.
“Thanks.” I nod, go back into my zone , and toss another one up. I make it, but just barely. Elder Worthen is watching. He retrieves the ball again and passes it to me.
This time I don’t look. One… dribble, two… dribble, dribble… three… It bounces off the rim, but he jumps and easily snatches it. I want to call interference, or distraction or something, but it doesn’t really seem appropriate.
“My turn.” I notice his perfect, white teeth and step aside for him to shoot.
His companion and investigator are at the opposite hoop. This is about as alone with him as I’ll get. And I also really need to not think things like that.
He ha s nice form, I can tell as soon as the ball leaves his hands that it’s a perfect shot.
“Are you trying to give me some competition?” I tease as I retrieve the ball and snap it to him.
It slaps as it hits his hand s, and his eyebrows rise at the strength in my pass. “Just been a while since I shot, that’s all.”
“Alright.” I let myself smile back at him. For all he knows, I’m just being friendly, but I’m still self-conscious in my snug shirt and baggy boy shorts.
“Sister Layton!” The first o f the kids arrive. This is good. Better. This’ll be fun. It’s better than shooting with someone I’m not aloud to like and not aloud to touch. Maybe I’ll be able to relax with extra people here.
“You should stic k around with the guy you were talking to. Help show him how un-perfect us Mormons can be in a room where basketball is involved,” I tease.
“We plan on it.” He laughs and jogs across the gym to talk with his partner.
And like an idiot, I watch him go. Watch his easy, long strides. Broad shoulders. I force a sharp breath out. This is ridiculous. In the same thought, I hope Jeremy doesn’t get here ‘til late. I’m not sure how I feel about him being around me. The missionary, I’m apparently okay with. Jeremy, I’m afraid of. This means that there must be something fundamentally wrong with me. Maybe I like Worthen because he’s unavailable.
But the n his laugh echoes in the room and hits my chest. Maybe I’ll just keep trying to tell myself I like him because he’s unavailable.
10
ELDER WORTHEN
Not quite 19 months
Jaycee’s good for the youth. It’s easy to see they all look up to her. The only people who can keep up with her in basketball are two of the older guys who play on the varsity team at the high school.
Eric, our investigator , used to play
I have a routine. I get low. One… dribble, two… dribble, dribble, three… I let my legs straighten as I arc the ball. My first shot is nothing but net. It pulls a smile from my face like nothing else.
I chase my ball down and try not to think about the fact that Jeremy weaseled his way into helping me tonight. It’s not a date if we’re supervising a youth activity, right? I haven’t seen him in more than a month. This shouldn’t be a big deal. As the ball hits my hands, I forget about Jeremy again. My chest relaxes and I dribble back to the free-throw line. One… dribble, two… dribble, dribble, three…
A little rim, mostly net. Nice.
The missionaries walk in, followed by their investigator.
“Mind if we play?” Elder Smitts asks.
“Don’t pull me from my happy place and you can stay as long as you like.” I don’t turn toward them, just head back to the free-throw line. Again, nothing but net. This feels great, and better with each throw.
Elder Worthen jogs over, retrieves my ball and passes it to me. It hits my hands hard. A real throw. Nice.
“Thanks.” I nod, go back into my zone , and toss another one up. I make it, but just barely. Elder Worthen is watching. He retrieves the ball again and passes it to me.
This time I don’t look. One… dribble, two… dribble, dribble… three… It bounces off the rim, but he jumps and easily snatches it. I want to call interference, or distraction or something, but it doesn’t really seem appropriate.
“My turn.” I notice his perfect, white teeth and step aside for him to shoot.
His companion and investigator are at the opposite hoop. This is about as alone with him as I’ll get. And I also really need to not think things like that.
He ha s nice form, I can tell as soon as the ball leaves his hands that it’s a perfect shot.
“Are you trying to give me some competition?” I tease as I retrieve the ball and snap it to him.
It slaps as it hits his hand s, and his eyebrows rise at the strength in my pass. “Just been a while since I shot, that’s all.”
“Alright.” I let myself smile back at him. For all he knows, I’m just being friendly, but I’m still self-conscious in my snug shirt and baggy boy shorts.
“Sister Layton!” The first o f the kids arrive. This is good. Better. This’ll be fun. It’s better than shooting with someone I’m not aloud to like and not aloud to touch. Maybe I’ll be able to relax with extra people here.
“You should stic k around with the guy you were talking to. Help show him how un-perfect us Mormons can be in a room where basketball is involved,” I tease.
“We plan on it.” He laughs and jogs across the gym to talk with his partner.
And like an idiot, I watch him go. Watch his easy, long strides. Broad shoulders. I force a sharp breath out. This is ridiculous. In the same thought, I hope Jeremy doesn’t get here ‘til late. I’m not sure how I feel about him being around me. The missionary, I’m apparently okay with. Jeremy, I’m afraid of. This means that there must be something fundamentally wrong with me. Maybe I like Worthen because he’s unavailable.
But the n his laugh echoes in the room and hits my chest. Maybe I’ll just keep trying to tell myself I like him because he’s unavailable.
10
ELDER WORTHEN
Not quite 19 months
Jaycee’s good for the youth. It’s easy to see they all look up to her. The only people who can keep up with her in basketball are two of the older guys who play on the varsity team at the high school.
Eric, our investigator , used to play
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