The next two days passed at a glacial pace. I was having a horrible time concentrating, making silly mistakes at my work. I got a phone call from my mother, who told me that I was not to attend the school board meeting. She tried a different tack this time. “They’re going to laugh at you. You know that right?” I just hung up.
My heart beat faster and faster as Thursday passed. Time seemed to go by in spurts and fits. I talked to Bill, letting him know that I was planning on standing with Sandy tonight.
“I understand. All I care about is that Paige loves her, and she’s a way better player now than the beginning of the season. To be honest I don’t know if Virginia would be interested without everything the coach has done, so I feel like we owe her. ‘Course, you’re probably rewarding her enough for both of us.”
I laughed at his teasing tone. “Yeah, not sure what she sees in me, but…”
“I do.” The seriousness in his tone took me aback. “Look, Melanie, I know I’m probably not your favorite person, and I’ve always appreciated how you’ve never bad-mouthed me in front of the kids. God knows I deserved it. But I don’t think I ever told you that I was sorry about how I behaved at the end of our marriage. I’m just glad you’re happy. Really.”
I was really touched. “Thanks, Bill. I appreciate that.”
We made arrangements for Ashley to pick up the boys, which took a load off my mind. There were a group of parents talking when I got to the school to pick up Paige. Renee Perry was central among them, and I watched the conversation dwindle as I approached.
“Well, we find out tonight.” I stared right at her as I spoke.
She cocked her head to the side. “Whatever do you mean?” Her voice was all innocent confusion while her eyes flashed with malice.
“I mean you’ve been trying to get Coach Dalton fired all season. You hired a private investigator to take pictures of her, tried to drag both her and my daughter’s name through the dirt, and you’re a big part of the reason Kaylin Ellis is lying in a hospital room instead of getting changed after practice.”
Renee’s pleasant expression evaporated, anger burning through her face. “How dare you?”
“How dare I?” I laughed, short and bitter. “I am not the one who has anything to be ashamed about here.” I looked around at the other parents.
That evil smirk came back. “You don’t?”
“No, I don’t. I’ll be standing next to her tonight, and you can say anything about her you want, but she’s amazing, the best thing that’s happened to me, and to Paige, and to most of the other girls on the team in a long time.” I looked past Renee towards the other parents. “Coach Dalton and I are dating, just in case any of you aren’t up to speed.”
“Dating? You mean, like…”
I looked at Brianna’s dad. “Yes, like going on dates, holding hands and kissing, occasionally having amazing sex.” That drew a nervous titter from at least one person present, but I kept going. “So, it goes without saying I’ve gotten to know Sandra Dalton extremely well, and she is one of the finest human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and we’re all lucky to have her as our coach. I hope you’ll all come to the meeting tonight and support her.”
The girls started emerging from the locker room. Paige and Adrienne were two of the last talking quietly together before separating. Adrienne waved to me. “Hi, Mrs. Pierson.” I smiled and returned her greeting before her mother grabbed her arm and pulled her away. Paige had moved behind her, walking next to Coach Dalton.
I knew every eye in the hall was on me as I walked over to my daughter and girlfriend. If they were going to laugh at me fine, I didn’t care.
Sandy’s face was mildly confused as I approached. I extended my hand, palm down, which she took without hesitation as I smiled at her. “Hi,” I lifted my chin slightly for a kiss. Fear flashed through me for the briefest instant. Maybe I’d overstepped. Maybe she wasn’t ready, maybe… Her lips closed over mine, silencing my self-doubt. It was a brief kiss; we were in public, after all.
When it ended I stood by her side, my hand still in hers, staring defiantly back at the parents and players watching us. “See you all tonight.”
***
We pulled into the parking lot at the administration building. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d heard all the horror stories about picket lines, people on either side foaming at the mouth, screaming at each other, but that wasn’t the case. There were reporters however, with multiple news vans evident. Sandy reached for my hand, squeezing it tight as we made our way across the asphalt. Paige walked a few steps behind us as we approached.
“Coach Dalton! Coach Dalton! Do you have a statement you’d like to make? Why are they trying to run you out? Is it true that you’re a lesbian? Who is that you’re with? Is that your wife?”
We ignored the questions, and I tried to stand as straight as I could, seeing as there were no fewer than four cameras on us as we walked. I imagined somewhere my mother was screaming as I embarrassed our family by daring to be happy, walking next to the woman I loved.
We made our way into the council room, and a hush fell over the murmur echoing through the huge chamber. I was getting roundly sick of that. I looked around at everyone gathered. Principal Harrison walked boldly forward, shaking both Sandy’s and my hands. Several of the team parents greeted us as well. I did my best to read the energy in the room, but I was way out of my depth. I wasn’t politicking here. My job was to support my partner, and I tried to focus on that.
We moved deeper into the room, finding several seats. For the next fifteen minutes I watched the arrivals. Renee and Senator Perry made their grand entrance, almost arm in arm with Mary Ann Ellis. The Yews came in as well, along with Dani and her parents. In all there were at least a dozen members of the team in attendance, most of them with their parents, filling the large room.
The School Board members took their seats and the ambient noise died down. I watched the chairwoman, whose placard identified her as Rosalee Dobbin, pick up her gavel, gently caressing the handle as she surveyed the assembly. She glanced to left, then right, getting nods from her peers before banging the gavel down onto the table.
“Order, I am calling this meeting to order.” She spoke with a clear, professional alto voice that let everyone with any sense know she was in charge. “Since this is a special session we can dispense with the formalities. We are here to investigate the allegations of inappropriate behavior by Coach Sandra Dalton. The chair recognizes Mary Ann Ellis, who brought the complaint.
“Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.” Mrs. Ellis shot Sandy a look of pure vitriol as she stepped to the speaking lectern. Her bearing was every inch the grieving mother, but I’d be stunned if everyone in the room couldn’t feel the seething anger behind the facade.
“Since the beginning of the season our daughter, Kaylin, has been unhappy. She’s had her head filled with ideas that there is something noble about same-sex attraction, convinced that she was feeling those feelings, indoctrinated into the idea that she was a lesbian. Coach Dalton met with her privately to convince her that she was gay, pushing her into a lifestyle Kaylin has been taught from the cradle is wrong. When we discovered this, her father and I tried to remove her from the situation, but it was too late. She’d become so confused, so disillusioned that she tried to take her own life.” Her face screwed up, voice cracking with emotion.
“I almost lost my daughter, my most precious, to her.” She pointed at Sandy, fixing her with a look of pure hatred. “God knows what she wanted from her, what she’d already tried to get from others on the team.”
“That’s a lie!”
Bang, bang! “Order, please!” Ms. Dobbin banged her gavel as I turned to face Paige, who was standing red-faced. I could almost see the steam coming out of her nose like a raging bull.
“Coach Dalton hasn’t ever been inappropriate to me or anyone else.”
One of the other board members spoke. “We all saw the pictures, young lady.”
“I was the one in those pictures, and Nothing. Was. Happening!”
Mrs. Ellis stared at my daughter with an impressive mix of pity, fury and contempt. “That’s how groomers operate, Miss Pierson. You all have to understand that.” She cast her gaze around the room before turning back to the board. “I know she was working on Paige just like she was my Kaylin. We have to protect our children. My daughter had never shown any interest in other girls until she arrived.” Mary pointed toward Sandy. “She was a good girl, and now she’s in a hospital bed fighting for her life. This can’t stand. That woman should be removed, and she should be prosecuted for sexual deviance with a minor. Thank you.”
She stepped away, and as she did Dani Williams stood up. I heard her mother whisper her name, trying to get her to sit, but instead she locked her eyes on the chairwoman and raised her hand.
“Yes, young lady?”
“Um, I have something to say.” Her voice was soft, like it always, but it carried a strength and gravitas that kept the room silent.
Ms. Collins looked at Dani’s mom, who was staring up at her daughter, confusion etched on her face. Dani met her mother’s gaze with a pleading look, her eyes begging. “Okay, sweetheart.”
Dani took two steps out of the aisle of chairs, moving to the lectern.
“And what is your name, young lady?”
“Dani Williams, um, Danielle Williams.”
“And you’re a teammate of Kaylin Ellis?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Dani’s spine straightened slightly, her chin rising. “And I’m her girlfriend.”
A murmur went around the room as Dani paused for a second. Mrs. Williams gasped, covering her mouth as she stared at her daughter. Dani gave everyone a moment to calm down before she continued. “If you want confirmation of that, ask any of the girls on the team.” She swallowed heavily. “I’m sure Mrs. Ellis believes what she was saying, but most of it wasn’t true. Kaylin and I have been together for over a year, long before we met Coach Dalton. Kaylin was not, is not confused about her sexuality. She’s known she’s gay for years, long before she met me.”
“That’s not true! She was a good girl.” Mary Ann was red in the face.
Dani responded, not turning from the board. “And she still is! Being gay doesn’t make you bad.”
Mrs. Ellis’s response was cut off by the pounding of the gavel. “Thank you, Miss Williams. Now, can we ask you a question. Did Kaylin talk about this with Coach Dalton?”
“Yes. We both did.”
A second, perfectly coiffed member of the board spoke, her voice harsh. “And how did you know the Coach would be receptive to this, um, subject? Had she told you she was gay?”
Dani shook her head. “No, Paige did. She knew because her mom and Coach are dating. She made us promise to keep it to ourselves.”
“And what did Coach Dalton do when you approached her?”
“She talked to us. Told us about what it was like for her, when she was our age. It was really nice, just to have someone to talk to. We’d felt so alone.”
“She’s lying! I would have known!” Mary Ann’s voice sounded a lot less sure of itself now.
Another board member laughed, an older gentleman with a white beard and just a small ring of hair around his head. “I’m sure all of the members of the board and all of the adults in the room remember exactly how much of our social lives we shared with our parents when we were that age.” That drew a chuckle from the assembly. The man leaned forward slightly. “What was the coach’s advice, dear?”
“She told Kaylin to keep her head down until she finished high school. We knew what would happen if her parents found out. She was afraid of being sent away, she said her pastor had talked about some camp that makes people not gay anymore.”
The faces of several members of the board hardened at the mention of the highly controversial subject. The older man’s voice was harsh. “Is this the case, Mrs. Ellis?”
Her voice rose in defiance. “It’s certainly something we’re considering. Our daughter needs help! Can’t you see that? Doesn’t everyone see that?”