Carol leaned over and looked him right in the eyes and said “Paul you are an amazing man.”
“Well, it’s a good thing because how else could I have ended up the most amazing wife in the world.” And with that they leaned in and gave each other a very passionate kiss. When they broke apart, Paul said “Now, did you dress like that to try to get me to agree to you and Jen with your feminine allure?”
“Actually, yes. That is exactly why I dressed this way.”
“But now you know because I told you that I had already decided I was in favor of it before I saw you dressed like this.”
“Yes, that’s true. But I did not know that at the time.”
“Well, I want to make sure you realize that I just didn’t say yes because you were dressed like this. But if I had been thinking about saying ‘No’, you being dressed like this would have changed my mind. Now, to be honest I am a little tired tonight, but I would love to just hold you in my arms and feel you against me and fall asleep like that and wake up that way tomorrow. How does that sound?”
“Paul, that sounds wonderful.” So Carol snuggled up to Paul and laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and brought her in close. He felt her breasts against his chest and felt them move as she breathed. It was more stimulating than arousing and he just enjoyed the feeling of having her close. He knew that she was going to be having sex with someone else without him, but it did not bother him. He knew he would have these moments and these moments were worth anything that happened in between to him. He knew this was best for Carol and for him and for them.
Friday night arrived and Carol and Katie arrived at the hotel and checked into the room. They were the first to arrive but by the time they got back to the lobby a few other families had arrived. Coach Hochbauer was also there and she was talking a lot about how many college scouts she was expecting at the games, particularly on Sunday. She had already heard from a number of schools that were aware of the Blue Lightning program and were asking questions about her second semester juniors. She was trying to keep the mood light because she could already sense some of the tension building. The Coach knew this season was going to be about more than fun, there was no way around that. So she wanted to make sure that the girls did not get so caught up with the other stuff that they forgot to have fun. If they played tight, they would not play well and she really wanted them all to have their best outcomes.
Eventually the Smith girls arrived too, and Melanie and Katie stayed in the room while Jen came out to join the group of parents and Coach Hochbauer. She talked a bit about her experience being recruited and the things she through in making her decision on which school to attend. Carol had some idea as her daughter Brianna had been recruited for Lacrosse, so she was able to share a little as well. Soon it was time to turn in and while it had been fun for the parents to see each other after the few months apart, there was a little less fun and a little more nervousness in the room as they each went off to bed.
Right from the start of the first game, it was clear that Coach Hochbauer’s warnings had been accurate. There were several people watching the game with clipboards or notebooks and windbreakers with different school insignia on them.
It was clear from the outset that the Blue Lightning girls were ready to play. The other team started out a bit lethargic, and that was not how you wanted to play the Blue Lightning. Two quick long balls lead to a breakaway goal for Melanie and a corner kick which Melanie put into the box and Katie scored it. Before the other team had even had a chance to settle in, they were down 2-0.
True to her word, Coach Hochbauer took advantage of the quick lead to move people around. Since Katie and Melanie had figured so prominently already, they came out so some other girls would get their chance at a look-see by the scouts. Neither was particularly happy, but they kept it inside and cheered on their teammates from the sideline.
In the second half both girls played but not in their usual positions. Melanie was in the midfield and Katie on defense. Carol raised concerns to Jen about this, but Jen thought she knew what Hochbauer was up to with this move.
“The Scouts already saw that they can play well at their usual position. But remember, they might be going to a team that has Seniors who can score. If they show versatility, maybe they can start right away and then move to their natural positions as older girls graduate.”
This explanation seemed to satisfy Carol. As she would find out, this was exactly what Hochbauer was doing and it did make a difference for both girls when scholarship offers were made.
The second game saw another unusual line up. Melanie started in the midfield and Katie started on the wing. This really gave Melanie a chance to shine and show off the footwork she had spent the winter working on so diligently. The combination of her speed and her footwork allowed her to weave in and out of defenders. She was able to go through several defenders and still get off a decent shot. She already had one goal and several other good shots that had been saved by some amazing work by the opposing goalie.
One thing she did notice was that the defenders were collapsing on her. Katie noticed it too. Melanie and Katie made eye contact and both read the other’s thoughts. Katie bolted down the sideline as Melanie blasted a ball to the right of the box. This was a play the Blue Lightning parents had seen very often but in reverse. Melanie’s pass soarer over the defense and landed just far enough away from the goalie that she hesitated on whether or not to come out. And that was all Katie needed.
With no defenders around her she was able to get to the ball and work in toward the goal. The goalie was flat footed and locked in place as Katie took one touch and then blasted a ball into the high far corner of the goal. Her arms raised Katie circled around and looked for her teammates to celebrate the goal. The first one she saw was Melanie streaking toward her. When she got close Melanie jumped into Katie arms and Katie gave her a big hug. Melanie said “I learned that play from a great soccer player.”
Katie’s face went as red as her hair as she said “Thanks I…I think you’re great.”
Melanie looked at her as the rest of their teammates crowded around in the celebration and said “Well, we’ll just have to be great together then.”
With another lead at halftime, Coach Hochbauer gave Melanie a rest and exception for a brief stint on defense she gave way to Katie in the midfield. Not to be outdone by her friend, Katie had an excellent game at midfield. She did not score another goal, but she did control the game almost singlehandedly and she was able to collect 3 assists as the Blue Lightning was rolling like a well-oiled machine.
When the girls retired to the team room, the parents stayed up talking for a while. The two games had gone very well and the additional rotations had given everyone a chance to be noticed. This good feeling replaced a lot of anxiety for everyone and so the conversation ran long.