Paper Rings (A Calvin Murtaugh Story)

Chapter 6: Making It Work

I was almost surprised when my dad came to find me that night after he punished the littles for soaking Hank's underwear in meat. (Side Note: How brilliant was that? Ingenious. I swear if any army had the planning power of one Sarah Baker, they'd be unstoppable, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her sister.) But that was a very sad reality of the Baker's new life in Evanston. I was surprised when my father sought me out to talk to me. In Midland, we talked every single day, but now communication was a novel occurrence and it made me sad.

"Hey, Champ," he knocked hesitantly on my door. "Can I come in?"

I'd just tried to call Bekah, hoping to talk about my issues with Nora, but her mom had answered, telling me that she was out with the team. So, Dad found me sitting on my bed, and in front of me was my team binder. In the end, I'd made a copy of it for Bekah, so that she'd have it to work from. Even though I was no longer the Captain, I wanted more than most anything to see that team win the way I knew they could. In memory of what could have been, and just because I was feeling sorry for myself, I was running my fingers over the plans I'd spent weeks crafting. All of my hard work and passion, now contained in this small binder.

After I survived cancer, volleyball had been my life. I'd used it to build myself back up, and I'd channeled all of my emotions into running and drills. I'd become a stronger person, and I'd given it everything I had. Still, when my family needed me, I left it behind for them. Sure, I'd be joining a new team, but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be the team that saw me build myself up like that. Still, I chose my family over volleyball.

I knew what it was like to sacrifice something you love for family. I'd witnessed my parents do it for years, both due to raising kids and in what they had to give up when I got sick. I loved volleyball, but it wasn't everything no matter how much I had made it to be. At the time, I couldn't imagine, ever, choosing someone over my family. Perhaps that was why I was so frustrated with Nora? Well, that, and the fact that Hank was a major doorknob who needed to treat her better.

"Sure," I nodded, closing the book and putting it aside. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, about Mom leaving tomorrow." Dad sat at the end of my bed, and I caught him eyeing the book I'd just closed.

We'd worked on it together, running plays to see how they'd work. He'd forced the littles to come and act as stand ins for different team members. At one point, Henry had put oranges down his shirt just because he'd wanted to be a more 'authentic' volleyball player, but really he'd just wanted to gain a laugh. The twins had thought it was hilarious and fell over from laughing so hard. It had been a great time. I thought I saw a flash of regret on my dad's face, looking at this binder, before it disappeared. Instead, he just gave me his weary smile.

"I know she's leaving tomorrow, but it'll be fine," I said, my smile matching his own. It had been a long day and I was tired.

"Reese-" he began, but I cut him off.

"I can take care of everything," I told him. "We don't need Nora coming in here. I can do it."

Dad gave me a long look, trying to see into me, and with that expression in his eyes, I just knew why he thought we needed to call Nora. It was that "C" word that would never escape me no matter how healthy I was. He thought I couldn't handle it because I'd been sick. Because he didn't want me to stress, in case it made me sick again. Not too long ago, we'd had a health scare, all because I'd been pushing myself too hard. He didn't want that to happen again.

"I know you can," Dad said carefully, "I know you can, but you are so busy working on college, and your SATs are in a few weeks, aren't they? You have to study, and you've got your volleyball games and practices and your college applications. Plus...you need to make friends. Your life is just about to get started and...I can't ask that you put any of that aside to help take care of us. Not when we thought that-" he stopped himself, but I wasn't dumb.