The Fugitive Grandma

Chapter 57 - Extracurricular Activities

Tuesday was an in-service day at Santa Ramona Middle School. But even though there were no classes, later on the school grounds would be busy with children, teachers, and parents flocking to the biggest soccer match of the year so far.

The Santa Ramona girls were set to play a top-ranked team from the city of Walnut in the San Gabriel Valley. It was the end of the season, and today’s game would decide whether Santa Ramona went on to the regional championship. Sabrina spent the morning at home, stretching and resting. She hadn’t slept well. Worries about the lie that she told the police detective kept flashing through her mind. She stayed in a corner doing knee bends, going up and down until the muscles burned and she couldn’t think of anything else.

Her mother was at work. She’d taken a job as a sales clerk at a local clothing store to make ends meet after Sabrina’s father had lost his job at the supermarket. Her father was also out this morning. At dinner the night before, he was telling her mother about opening his own store, something he had dreamed about for years. Now he was out looking at retail spaces for rent.

Sabrina ate a granola bar for lunch, waiting for the time to pass and getting nervous when she thought about the game. She heard the mail carrier arrive on the front porch. When she went to the mailbox, she found several bills addressed to her parents, a booklet of coupons from a local shopping center and finally, at the bottom of the pile, a postcard with a picture of the San Jacinto Mountains. She flipped the card over and read the scrawled message on the back:

Sabrina, I am sorry we can’t see each other.

I think I will be going away for a long time.

But please don’t forget me.

I’ll write again when it is safe.

Please remember our friendship is forever.

Johnny

Sabrina read the words again and again. She could feel shock waves as she stared at the snow-capped mountains on the postcard. She couldn’t focus. She couldn’t move for a long time. Still on the porch when her father pulled into the driveway, she quickly snapped out of her spell and hid the card in the pocket of her sweatpants.

“Let’s go,” her father said.

She realized it was time to go to school for the game. Running into the house, she gathered her sports bag, cleats, and water bottle. She carefully moved the postcard from her pocket into the side of her sports bag, making sure her father didn’t notice.

“Anything in the mail?” he asked as he drove to the school grounds.

“Nothing special,” she said. “Just some bills and coupons for you and Mom.”

“All that boring grown-up stuff,” he laughed. “Too bad there was nothing for you, princess!”

“Thanks for coming to the game, Dad.”

“Sabrina, I should be thanking you. I wouldn’t miss this for anything. I am so proud of you every day. You’re an inspiration for me and your mom. You know it’s been kind of a tough time for me since I lost my job at the grocery store. But I knew I could handle it because you and your mom are always there to give me the strength to face whatever happens. You’re the greatest daughter in the world, Sabrina, and I’m the luckiest father. I don’t want you to ever forget that. Remember, no matter what happens out there on the field today, no matter who wins or loses, you’ll always be a superstar in my book.”

By the time Sabrina reached midfield for the opening dribble against the Walnut team, more than a hundred fans of all ages surrounded the sidelines and goal nets. She recognized a few people among the blur of faces. Her father was standing at the edge of the field; shouting, laughing, and waving his hands, whipping up excitement in the crowd.