Nora Ray (Ray Trilogy)

chapter Twenty Two

Jeremy had built his small green house in the backyard and was spending as much time as he could. He was always pulled between his work at the OSU extension office which he really enjoyed and his responsibilities with his family. Nora was preparing to start back with her classes for her Fall semester. There was little Lauren who required more work than he ever dreamed a child could need. He expected with Nora starting back to school for her second year of Med School somehow he would need to pick up the slack. He dearly loved the little minx who looked so much like her mother. He never knew he could love anyone as much as he loved Nora but Lauren was something else entirely. Some way he also intended to drive back and forth to Stillwater to take a couple of classes each semester.

Nora received a call from Danny, “Hey, Sis, since I’m starting my sophomore year the Coach told me today that he was going to let me play on the starting lineup.”

“That’s wonderful, Danny. You’ll get much more experience.”

“Right,” Danny agreed. “I was hoping you and Jeremy could come for our first game this Friday night. You could spend the night with us in our new house and we could visit on Saturday.”

Nora was thinking of Lauren crying all night because she wouldn’t be in her own bed. Should they pack the walker and the high chair? The diapers, formula and extra clothes for Lauren maybe would all fit in the diaper bag. Oh, yes she must have the pacifier.

“Nora, did you hear me?” Danny asked hopefully.

“I’m sorry, Danny. Yes, I heard you. I tell you what, I think we can make it, but I need to talk to Jeremy to make sure.” Nora responded. “I’ll give you a call back, okay?”

“Okay, Sis, I’ll look forward to seeing Friday night.”

When Jeremy arrived home Friday evening, Nora had everything they needed piled in the middle of the living room floor.

He took one look at all Nora expected to take and said, “You’re kidding! Right?”

“No, we will need every bit of it.”

“Why?”

“Do you want to hold her while she eats and slimes you all over?” Nora asked.

“No.”

“Neither do I?” Nora continued, “Do you want to hold her all the time to keep her off the floor?”

“No. Never mind. I’ll figure a way to get it all in the car.”

They drove the fifty miles to Pryor and pulled up at the football field about the time the game started. They hurried to the seats where Laura sat saving them a place.

“Let me hold that baby,” Laura said holding out her arms. She hugged and kissed her.

Jeremy and Nora grinned at each other. Nora whispered to Jeremy, “It used to be us she was excited to see.”

Danny played wide receiver. Over and over he ran back but the quarterback never threw him the ball. The quarterback was a senior and didn’t trust anybody that he hadn’t played with for three years apparently. He always threw the ball to another senior or a junior.

The Locust Grove Pirates got two touch downs and the Pryor Tigers still hadn’t made any points. At half time the couch pulled the quarterback aside and told him that he needed to be more of a team player. The quarterback went back out after half time but he didn’t seem to play any different. No points were made in the third quarter by either team.

Starting the fourth quarter the coach feeling desperate sent Aaron, the second string quarterback in to play and sat the first string quarterback out. The Tigers got in the offensive position. The center threw the ball to Aaron. He caught it and looked for Danny. Sure enough he had gotten loose because the other team didn’t see him as a threat. Danny had run several yards and Aaron threw him the ball just as they had practiced hundreds of time on their own. Danny caught the ball and ran for a touchdown on a clear field.

The Pryor crowd stood up and roared. Whistles and claps were heard from every direction around them. Six points went up on the board. The teams lined up in formation. The kicker was in place. The anticipation was palatable. The crowd seemingly held their breaths. The center threw the ball to the catcher. The catcher whirled the ball dramatically and placed it for the kicker to kick. The kicker hit the most perfect goal that could be done. Again the Pryor crowd roared and whistled as they watched one more point light up the scoreboard.

The Tigers felt a ray of hope and the adrenaline began to pump. Both teams ran to the center of the field to set up their formation. The Pirates were in the offensive position now. The Tiger knew they only had ten minutes to get the ball back and make another touchdown. The Pirate’s center hiked the ball to their quarterback. The Tiger’s defensive line gave them all they had and blocked their progress.

On the fourth try the Pirates were stopped again and had to kick the ball to the Tigers. Through luck Danny caught the ball. They only had two minutes to make the play. Both cornerbacks and two linebackers flanked his sides and escorted Danny to their goal line. They were still one point behind.

The Pryor Tigers fans were all standing on their feet. The cheers and whistles were deafening. The players were slapping each other on the backs and hugging each other. Coach decided to kick the ball over the goal line for two points to avoid a game tie.

The Tiger kicker got in position. Silence covered the football field as if everyone held their breath while they watched the play. Seemingly in slow motion he drew back his foot and then forward to kick the ball. It sailed up and to the left, hit the side goalpost, fell on the crossbar, and went over to give them two more points.

Time was up the Tigers had won the game.

Jeremy told Laura, “If you would like to take Lauren home with you, Nora and I will swing by the Dairy Mart to pick up hamburgers and malts to bring home for all of us. After that ball game I’m hungry.”

“Sure,” Laura readily agreed.

After Jeremy put in their order, he turned to Nora, “I was feeling a little nostalgic there at that football game. It reminded me of old times.”

“I know what you mean, I was thinking the same thing,” Nora replied.

“You know that when you go to the Dairy Mart with me,” Jeremy grinned sneakily, “we get to snuggle.”

Nora laughed, “So that’s what you’ve got up your sleeve.”

“Come here, my lovely Nora, I want to smell your hair.”

“Jeremy, with all this baby stuff, I’m not sure there is room,” Nora said rearranging some baby blankets.

“I can fix that.” Jeremy started tossing first one thing then another until he had Nora by his side. “Aaaah,” he sighed and nuzzled her neck.

“Jeremy, you’re a mess,” Nora laughed kissing his hand.