Box Out (12 page)

Since he's not working at Shoe Source on Saturdays anymore, Liam swings by the nursing home. He doesn't miss working with Drake and Pelke, but he got fired before he got to use his discount. He didn't even get new shoes out of the deal. He knocks gently on Grandma's door in case she's taking her afternoon nap.

“Yes,” she says weakly.

“It's me. Liam.” He walks to the chair where Grandma sits in the sunlight.

“Liam.” Grandma stares at him. Her straight gray hair is pulled back neatly and she's wearing her dark blue dress with the yellow flowers.

“Here are some cookies Mom made.” He holds out the tin.

“Liam,” she says again.

He opens the lid and lets her see them. “Rosettes, your favorite.”

“Loverly.” Grandma picks one out. “Help yourself.”

Liam lifts a butterfly-shaped cookie and takes a bite. A piece crumbles and he catches it against his shirt.

Grandma slowly takes a nibble. “
Mmmm.
”

Liam sits down in the recliner and watches Grandma take tiny bites. Father Connell talks about love and humility. That's Grandma. She's never had loads of money, but she always contributes to Habitat for Humanity and famine relief. She helps out when people are in trouble and never calls attention to it. That's the way she lives her life.

They sit in silence for a while. Grandma seems more alert today. Sometimes she doesn't remember things from the present well, but she's clearer about the past, like when she was young. “Grandma, what was school like when you were a girl?”

“Oh, that's so long ago.” She looks like she's surprised. “I didn't speak English, only Swedish.”

Liam leans forward to hear her raspy voice. “I know.”

“My first day I sat next to Anna Norby.” Grandma speaks slowly. “The teacher said something and Anna and the other students laughed. When I got home I told my mother that I sat next to Anna and everything was in English.” Grandma sets her cookie down. “My mother asked if Anna could speak
English. I said, ‘I don't know, but she can laugh in English.' I meant she understood the joke, but my mother thought what I said was so funny.”

Liam licks sugar off his fingers. He's so glad Grandma is still able to tell one of her stories.

“Your dad was here this morning. He said you took a stand against your coach.” Grandma takes a sip of water.

Liam wipes his hands on his jeans. Megan said she'd let him know Craney's response. What's taking so long?

“Your dad said he was proud.”

Liam looks up. Proud? Dad didn't tell him that.

“Good for you.” Grandma holds out her wrinkled hand.

Liam squeezes it gently. “Thanks, Grams.”

At the regional final, Horizon's up by fifteen. Jessica's dominating inside. Leah's making good decisions, and Iris is demanding the ball on the block and making strong moves.

Jack sits on the bench with his hands folded and legs crossed. Compared to most coaches, he doesn't say much
during games. He lets the players play. He doesn't even call many time-outs. He lets the players figure it out and work through it.

Liam leans over to Darius. “They look good.”

“It's going to get tougher. We have to beat them in practice to get them ready.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Liam says, though he wasn't. He was thinking how smoothly Iris moves and how great she looks. She anticipates a pass and reaches for a steal. “You're in art with Iris, aren't you?” He tries to sound casual.

“Yeah.”

“How well do you know her?”

“Some. She's kind of shy.”

“I know.” Liam clears his throat. “Does she have a boyfriend?”

“Iris?”

“Yeah.”

“No.” Darius shakes his head. “No boyfriend.”

Liam watches her grab another rebound and pass to
Leah. No boyfriend—just what he was hoping to hear. Leah makes a smooth move and goes in for a layup. Liam and Darius stand and clap.

“Where's Leah going to school next year?”

“Princeton, Columbia, or Brown,” Darius says. “Her mom wants Princeton. Her dad wants Columbia. Leah likes Brown. Bet on Brown.”

Liam watches her sprint back on defense. Those are the types of choices Mom dreams about. She'd give anything for a kid like that. He scans the crowded arena and remembers the half-filled gym of the boys' games. He turns to Darius. “Do you ever miss playing with the guys?”

“What guys?”

“The boys' varsity.”

“Nah. That wasn't real basketball. I play pickup over at the B-CAB. Two of the guys are out of town for a wedding this weekend. We could use another body. Can you play tomorrow at noon?”

“Sure.” College guys will be a step up, but after sitting and watching tonight, he's ready for some action.

“So if you're going to run with us, I need to know one thing,” Darius says.

“Yeah?”

“What's your middle name anyway?”

Liam rubs his forehead. “Norbert.”

“You're right,” Darius says. “That's bad.”

When Liam arrives at the gym, seven players are pushing under the hoop in an intense game of twenty-one. He checks them out as he puts on his shoes. Darius and two other black guys and four white guys. Most of them are built like football players.

Liam ties his shoes tightly. Darius should come over, but he's focused on the game. Liam walks slowly across the empty floor toward the hoop.

“Six.” Darius shoots from the arc and makes it. “Seven.” He makes it again. “Eight.” He finally sees Liam. “Hey, everybody, this is Liam. He's going to run with us today.”

“Hey,” a few guys say.

Liam moves to the free throw line. Twenty-one has never
been his game because it's everybody against the guy with the ball. You need to have good moves to get a shot off.

“Darius is high with eight,” a guy with a full beard says. “Straight up.”

Darius drives baseline and gets smacked on the head. He doesn't call a foul or complain, but jumps out on defense on the guy who hit him. He slaps at the ball and it bounces to Liam. Straight up means he can go right up with it, but two defenders close fast, and he's afraid they'll block his shot. He dribbles the ball to the arc and hesitates.

A short white guy jumps out. “Let's see what you got.”

Liam crosses over on his dribble, but the guy strips him cleanly. Liam retreats under the basket. Players muscle for position, yank rebounds, and slap the ball away from each other. Liam doesn't have a single point by the time Darius hits twelve.

“Thirteen,” Darius calls as his shot falls through. Liam positions himself to the left of the basket. He needs to be more aggressive. Darius's shot bounces up and hits the rim twice. Liam times his jump and grabs the rebound. He turns to shoot a fadeaway and the ball banks in off the board.

“Nice hoop,” Darius calls.

Liam moves to the top of the key. This is the other reason he doesn't like twenty-one. Everybody watches while you shoot. He bounces the ball once and launches it. The ball hits the front of the rim and falls short.

Three guys crash together and one taps the ball out. Darius seizes it and goes up for a shot. A guy hits him hard on the wrist. “That's what happens when you have the lead.”

An older black man with dreads gives Darius a shove. Darius laughs and pushes back. Liam grabs another rebound and forces up an awkward runner that's not even close.

Darius fakes two guys off their feet and hits a jumper for twenty-one. As winner, he picks first for teams. He takes Liam second, and Liam's relieved not to be picked last.

“Liam, this is Cadillac.” Darius stands next to the older guy with dreads. “Feed him the ball and good things will happen.”

“I'm Sully.” A white guy with a mustache slaps Liam's hand.

“If you pass it to Sully, you won't get it back.” Darius dribbles over to him.

“Same with Arius.” Sully steals the ball from Darius. “Arius because there's no D in his game. He's always looking to shoot.”

Perfect. With three shooters, Liam can concentrate on defense and rebounding. He passes to Cadillac to start the game. Cadillac turns and shoots. One-nothing. This is going to be easy.

Liam guards his guy. He's a few inches shorter but built like a tank. Liam boxes him out, and Cadillac grabs the rebound and finds Sully.

Sully streaks downcourt and looks for his shot. He's cut off, so he passes to Darius, who finds Liam in the post. Liam passes to Sully, who shoots and misses.

“Go at your guy,” Darius says. “You've got a height advantage. Shoot over the top of him.”

Next time down, Darius passes to Liam again. Why doesn't Darius feed Cadillac like he said? Liam's defender elbows him in the back, and Liam looks to pass it back to Darius. He hesitates and the ball is knocked loose.

“C'mon, Liam. Make a move!” Darius shouts.

Liam posts up underneath. Darius wants him to improve his offense, but he doesn't need to point it out in front of everybody.

“Foul,” Sully calls on a drive.

“What?” The guy with the beard gets in his face. “No blood. No foul.”

“My call,” Sully shoots back.

“That's weak, man. You lost the ball on the way up.”

Liam waits for somebody to break up the argument, but nobody does.

“Show some game,” Beard Guy challenges.

“Give me the ball.” Sully pushes past his guy and goes right at Beard Guy.

“You got nothing,” Beard Guy says.

“Yeah? Stop this.” Sully jab-steps, then moves back for a three.

Beard Guy leaps and gets a piece of the shot. “Nothing,” he hollers.

Darius grabs the loose ball and fires a pass to Liam. “Go at him.”

After school on Monday, Liam spots Drake walking to his Mustang. For once he's by himself, not with his pack. Liam jumps over puddles from the melting snow as he jogs to catch up with him. “Drake.”

Drake whirls around. “What do you want?”

“You.” Liam points.

“What do you mean?”

“If you've got a problem with me, be a man.” Liam squints into the sun. “Don't slash my tire or send somebody else to do it.”

Drake clicks open his trunk.

“Talk to me, Drake.”

“I'll talk to you when I want to.”

“Then talk.” Liam moves to avoid the sun and crosses his arms like he's not budging.

“You ruined our season, Bergstrom.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You wrecked our team spirit.”

“C'mon, Drake. Good teams don't go on about team
spirit. They have it. You're just looking for somebody to blame.”

“I am not.”

“You're the captain.”

Drake grabs a box of Adidas from the trunk. “By the way, Bergstrom, I'm leading prayers now. They're voluntary, but we've got plenty of volunteers.”

Liam rubs his forehead. Basketball homework. How did he get stuck with such a difficult book?

Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power,

Cheerful, for freest action form'd under the laws divine,

The Modern Man I sing.

And why is this guy singing about everything?

All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,

And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.

Liam thinks about this. Death might be different from what anyone supposed, but luckier? Grams says she's had a full life and that she's grateful for everything. She's less afraid of
death than anyone he knows. Would she consider death luckier than being alive, though?

He struggles with long lists of people and places. He turns to the glossary to look up words he doesn't understand. He's supposed to be finished with this by next week, so he reads on about boatmen, clam diggers, and runaway slaves. How will he ever memorize any of this? He needs a break, so he checks his e-mail.

From: Mackenzie Kost

To: Liam Bergstrom

Date: March 7

Subject: miss you!

liam,

I bet u are surprised to get this after what happened but i miss u. jeanbaptiste is a jerk. i should have known better.

>:-<

i am fed up with france and wish i was home.

i am really sorry. whats up with u?

lyl

kenz

x o x o x o

Liam rereads the message. Sounds like she got dumped. Too bad. He hits
DELETE
and the message disappears from his screen.

“Stand in one place and imagine you are a tree.” Iris leads Transition. “Put your hands above your head and move them in a gentle breeze.” Liam raises his arms. “The wind blows stronger now and moves the trunk.” She sways her hips. He moves his hips and tries not to stare too hard at Iris's. “Huge storm now.” She swings back and forth. “The tree bends, but does not break.” Everybody shakes all over and Liam smiles at being among all these willowy trees in the storm.

“The wind dies down and the tree stands tall,” Iris declares. The players freeze in place with outstretched arms. Iris slowly lowers her hands to her sides and everybody follows.

“Thanks, Iris,” Leah says. “Chloe, you've got Game of the Day?”

“Shoot. I forgot,” Chloe says.

“Anybody else got a game?”

“I do.” Liam steps forward.

“What's it called?”

“Banking Around the World.”

“What are we going to do?” Jessica asks. “Exchange money?”

“You all know how to play Around the World.” Liam grabs a ball. “Start here.” He banks a layup off the board. “Then you go to all the other spots. But you have to bank your shot. If you make it without hitting the board, you have to start all over. Also, you have to pick a different country name for each spot. Run down all your misses.”

Everyone spreads out at different hoops.

“One, two, three, go,” Liam shouts, and balls fly. Players make their layups and move to the second spot. Most make their second shot and move to the corner of the free throw line.

“Oh, no.” Iris swishes her shot and has to start over. “I finally get that shot down and now I have to bank it.”

“Yes.” Darius banks his in. “Argentina.”

Players chase down rebounds and launch shots. Country names alternate with cries of frustration as players make shots and miss. Everybody is struggling, with one exception.

Liam watches Jessica, who's quietly progressing. She uses the board a lot in her game, so maybe she's used to looking for it. She banks a shot from Iris's free throw spot, chases the ball, and lines up her next one. She's almost finished.

Chloe swishes another free throw. “No.” She jumps up and down and her ponytail flaps like a flag.

“I'm done!” Jessica hollers.

“No fair,” Chloe says. “I'm back at the beginning.”

Liam goes over to Jessica. “What were your countries?”

“United States, China, Iraq.” Jessica pauses. “Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland.”

“Banking around the world in record time, Jessica is the champion.” He holds up her arm like a boxer's.

“Good Game of the Day.” Jessica slaps his hand. “Let's hear it for Liam.”

“Vada vim. Vada vom. Yom. Yom. Yom.” Everybody dances and shakes arms. “Go, Liam!”

“Scrimmage time.” Jack walks onto the court. “Starters in red today.”

Iris pulls off her jersey, showing a black sports bra underneath. Liam watches her turn the jersey inside out to red. She glares at him and he looks away.

“Let's have a good run.” Jack claps.

Liam pushes Jessica under the hoop, and she elbows him in the head. Darius passes the ball to Liam and he sends it back.

“Go at her.” Darius passes the ball back in.

Liam turns and shoots over Jessica.

“That's there, Norbert,” Darius says. “Take it.”

“Norbert. Is that your middle name?” Jessica laughs.

Up and down they go. Liam's more confident on offense after making that first hoop. He can shoot over Jessica. He calls for the ball and scores again.

“Jess, that's too easy,” Jack says. “Move him off his spot. Make him work harder.”

Chloe doubles down on Liam, but he sees Nikki open at the arc. He passes to her and she buries the three.

“Chloe, stay with the shooter,” Jack says. “You can't leave her open.”

The game is fast and intense. Jessica banks in two shots in a row.

“You've got to get out on her, Liam,” Jack says.

With the game tied, the starters work the ball for the winning shot. Leah passes to Chloe, who dumps it into Jessica. Liam pushes against Jessica to keep her out of the paint. She passes to Iris, who swings it to Chloe at the top of the key.

Darius flies out and tips the shot. Liam snags the rebound and passes to Darius, who dribbles upcourt. One shot to win.

Darius passes to Liam, who passes it right back. The game's on the line, and he's not taking any chances. Darius will hit the game winner. Chloe jumps out to double team, and Darius passes back to Liam. Liam makes a tentative move baseline, looks to Darius, and then passes back.

Leah dives in for the steal. She hurries downcourt and finds Chloe in the corner. Darius is all over her, so she passes to Jessica, who turns and banks it off the board for the win.

“Banking Around the World,” she hollers. Leah and Iris rush up to her and Chloe jumps up and down.

Liam looks to Darius, who shakes his head. “My bad.” He pats his chest. “I blew it.”

“You did,” Darius shouts. “You need to go to the hoop.”