Chapter 6: Defense and Offense

01 June 1985 – Hardwick Road, Enfield, Massachusetts

Pauline and Jeff enjoyed the warm weather while they ate their lunch outside. Pauline sat wrapped in Jeff’s arms under a large oak tree. School would end for the summer soon, with only their exams standing between them and vacation for the young couple; other than watching some friends graduate, commencement didn’t matter to either of them since they weren’t yet seniors. Pauline was beginning to narrow down her college choices in advance of her senior year. Jeff’s performance on the baseball field this year attracted notice. Their futures were taking shape, which should have made them happier, but Jeff sensed a distance in Pauline today.

“Pauline?” She turned to look at him. “What’s wrong?” She turned away again, a sad look on her face.

“It’s about this summer, Jeff,” she said.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m not looking forward to the separation.”

“Me either. Maybe we can figure out a time for you to come visit?”

“I hope we can. We’ve both committed to jobs this summer, so that’ll be tough. Plus my family’s vacation to Maine will complicate things.”

Pauline leaned back into Jeff but said nothing.

Jeff worked out, showered, dressed then chatted with his parents at breakfast on his back deck a month later. A figure he hadn’t expected to see came around the corner of the house.

“Pauline!” he exclaimed, springing to his feet. She crashed into him in a tight embrace. “This is a great surprise! Don’t take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here?”

“One of my coworkers got all touchy-feely with me by the server’s station at the lobster shack last night,” she said with her face buried in his chest.

“Are you okay?” Jeff asked. In a quieter voice, he asked her, “Did he hurt you?”

Pauline looked up at him and laughed. “I’ve been hanging around you too much,” she said. “I flattened his nose with the heel of my hand, kneed him in the nuts, and shoved him to the floor in front of the entire place. Every girl who works there gave me a standing ovation. It turns out that Mr. ‘I-Now-Sing-Soprano’ has put his hands on almost the entire female staff; the ones he hasn’t touched are the girls he hasn’t gotten to yet. I apologized to my boss before I grabbed my purse, lit out of there, and headed back to the beach house.”

“About an hour later the police showed up, wanting to talk to my parents and me. Mr. Ferreira heard what happened from one of the other girls; the poor man is beside himself that such a thing happened at his place, and called the cops to charge the dickhead with multiple counts of assault. I talked to my folks for hours before I went to bed last night; I woke up early this morning, talked to my Mom a bit more, and drove here.”

“I’m glad you did,” Jeff said, leading Pauline to the small loveseat that was part of the deck furniture. “I know it’s only been a month, but I’ve missed you this summer.”

Hearing those words, she snuggled closer to him. “And I’ve missed you,” she replied.

“Pauline, do you need to call your parents? To tell them you’re here?” Marisa Knox asked.

“Yeah, I probably should,” she said, reluctant to let go of Jeff.

“Just tell me your number at the Cape, and I’ll call them.”

“Thanks, Mrs. K.”

Jeff woke with a start, sensing a presence near his bed later that night. His eyes caught the time displayed on his alarm clock as they tried to make out who stood next to his bed. The sound of the person’s voice resolved that question.

“Jeff?” he heard Pauline whisper.

“Pauline? What’s wrong?”

“I just had a nightmare. About the dickhead. Can I climb in with you?”

“Of course,” he replied. “Grab your pillow off your bed, then come on in; yours will be much more comfortable for you than the pancake I use for mine. Just close the door before you climb into bed.” She did as he suggested and then returned. With both of them lying on their left sides they spooned together, snuggling under the covers to stay warm in the breeze from the fan.

“This is nice...” Jeff heard Pauline whisper. Smiling, he kissed her ear, before settling in to go back to sleep.

“Oh, my,” Pauline muttered as she rolled onto her back next to Jeff the following afternoon. They’d just taken their relationship to “the next level” while the rest of the Knox family was out shopping in Springfield. “Jeff, you were incredible!”

“Really, that was okay?” Jeff asked her.

“No, it wasn’t okay, Jeff!” she snarked to him, his face falling a bit. “That was frikken mind-blowing! Crap, I thought my head was going to explode!”

“Oh,” he answered, “I was worried for a second.”

“Don’t be!” she assured him. “You’re a natural!” After snuggling with him for a few more minutes she sat up, pulling Jeff out of bed. “I know your family’s going to be another few hours, so let’s see what showering with your partner’s like! Open your window to air this place out while we’re in the bathroom.”

“I’m really not looking forward to you going back to the Cape _now!”*

“I’m definitely going to make sure I schedule more time to come back here when I can, don’t you worry!”

The late summer sun beat down on the fields at Thompkins while the sports teams prepared for their seasons. Jeff closed his eyes and turned his face to the sun, taking a deep breath and smelling the fresh-cut grass. Some found double sessions stressful, but not him. Jeff reveled in the competition, in pushing his body to its limit and feeling it respond. Out here two years ago he remade himself, casting aside the old him. Gone forever was the shy, timid boy he’d been.

“How come Coach didn’t ask me to run this part of practice instead of a junior?” asked Garrett Humphries for about the tenth time that day, shattering his sense of peace. “I’ve played on a state championship team.” The whole team was tired of hearing how the new guy played on a championship team at his old school north of New York City. The team could point to half a dozen members who also played hockey and won a state championship less than six months ago if they cared to. They didn’t.

Jeff rolled his eyes at some of his other teammates before finishing the current drill. Once finished, Jeff caught everyone else’s attention while making sure Garrett didn’t see the running motions he made. He caught his coach’s attention too, making the same running motions with his fingers. Jeff also opened and closed his hand like someone running their mouth while chucking his head toward Humphries. Coach Romanov nodded; he was sick of hearing about the championship team, too.

“Guys,” Jeff addressed the group, “I’m worried about our conditioning going into this season.” Mock groans from the experienced players filled the air. Humphries and the freshmen looked confused; they wouldn’t be for long. “Let’s go!” was all Jeff said before he took off running, the other midfielders falling in behind him. The new players scrambled to keep up.

While he didn’t set a blistering pace, Jeff set one faster than the jog a midfielder used most often when moving around the field; it seemed as if he’d never stop running. Jeff kept the group running for the rest of the morning’s practice session before cutting them loose at lunch. Jeff used the opportunity to corral the freshmen and speak to them while he watched the rest of the team head for the locker room. Humphries had left the group to go collapse in the shade.

“Guys, a midfield succeeds or fails on its endurance. Some of you need a bit more work on your running, and some of you already look like you’re where we need you to be, but you all did well for this early in the season. For today, rest up and eat slowly during lunch. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. No soda. Coach wants us back here at one o’clock.”

Tom Jarrett, now a senior, came up to Jeff as they headed back to the locker room. “How much of that was to shut that guy up?” Tom asked him in a low voice; there was a small smile on his face.

“Yeah, that was kinda petty of me,” Jeff admitted.

“The prick deserved it,” Tom said with feeling. “From what I’ve heard, that guy didn’t get much playing time at his old school last year; he’d be more accurate if he told people he collected splinters in his ass watching his team win.” Tom paused to let that sink in.

“And now you also know that these frosh can hang with us deeper into a game than most freshmen can at this point in the season. Plus you’re protecting the new guys from that jerk; he can’t shoot his mouth off if he’s sucking wind,” Tom pointed out, clapping his younger friend on the back. “He thinks he should be a leader because he’s a senior. Jeff, you’re more captain material now as a junior than he’ll ever be. You’ve proved since your freshman year that you’ve got what it takes on the field and off.”

“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, babe,” Joe Knox said to Marisa, rubbing her back while they walked back into the house.

“I’m sorry I ruined our day out together, Joe,” Marisa apologized, her color still pale. They tried to take advantage of the mid-September day and head to Amherst; the kids were doing their own things this Saturday. Before she and Joe got to the college town, a stomach bug reared its ugly head and Marisa started throwing up on the side of Route 160 in Pelham.

“It’s not your fault, babe,” Joe assured her. “Why don’t you head upstairs and lie down?”

“Thanks, hon...” Marisa turned and trudged up the stairs.

As she passed Jeff’s room she thought she heard laughter. That’s weird, Marisa thought, I figured Pauline and Jeff would still be out. She opened his door while she knocked on it. “Jeff?” she called.

She heard gasps and frantic movement. She gasped herself when she saw a flash of Pauline’s naked back as she ducked under the covers and a red-faced Jeff reclined on the bed; thank heavens that he was under the covers, too. Clothes from both teenagers were strewn across his normally neat room.

“OH!” Marisa exclaimed as realization hit her. “I’m sorry, guys. Get dressed and then come down to the living room to see Joe and me.” Marisa backed out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

“Son of a...” Jeff whispered, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m sorry, Pauline,” he said to his girlfriend as she peeked out from under the covers. “I thought they’d be gone all afternoon!”

“Me too,” she said. “Still, bad news doesn’t get better with age,” Pauline said while she climbed out of the bed to get redressed. Jeff admired her nude body and wondered if it would be the last time he’d get to see it. “You’d best get cleaned up and get dressed,” she said. “I’ll wait here until you’re done.”

“I thought you were going to lie down?” Joe asked his wife, confusion settling over his features.

“Joe, I think I just walked in on Pauline and Jeff having sex,” Marisa said as she settled onto the couch next to her husband. Joe rubbed his hands over his face.

“Oh, man!” he whispered, casting his eyes at the ceiling. “I was hoping we’d go a little bit longer before we got to this point.”

“Yeah. At least they’re being responsible about it; I think I saw a box of condoms on Jeff’s nightstand.”

“Thank heavens for small favors,” Joe sighed. “I guess we’ll have to tell Dave and Kyra,” meaning Pauline’s parents.

“Definitely, but let’s see what the kids have to say first.”

Pauline and Jeff came down the stairs hand-in-hand. They managed to look unashamed of what they’d been doing while not coming off as defiant. They sat side-by-side together on the couch and looked at Jeff’s parents, waiting for them to say something.

“Guys, first of all, I’m sorry I walked in on you like that,” Marisa said.

“Mrs. K., it was bound to happen, honestly,” Pauline replied. “It was just bad luck.”

“I am glad that you two were at least being responsible,” Marisa said. “I saw the box of condoms on Jeff’s nightstand.”

“Plus I’m on The Pill, Mrs. K. We aren’t taking chances here.”

“Pauline, you understand that we have to tell your Mom and Dad?” Joe asked. “We can’t exactly keep this a secret.”

“Not to be flip, Dad, but we should call them now,” Jeff said. “You guys know, so Mr. and Mrs. Micklicz should know as soon as possible.”

“You seem remarkably calm about the prospect of Pauline’s parents learning about this,” Marisa said.

“Are you kidding, Mom?” Jeff asked. “Excuse my language, but there are skid marks on my shorts just thinking about the prospect.”

“It’s not like we can keep you two from seeing each other, Jeff,” his father pointed out. “You go to the same school.”

“Of all of the irresponsible things to do!” Kyra Micklicz cried to her daughter as she and Dave talked with Pauline in her living room. ‘Talked’ was being generous; Kyra ranted for twenty minutes. Chris made himself scarce at his father’s suggestion long before Pauline returned.

“You’re right, Mom, it was irresponsible,” Pauline admitted, hoping to slow her mother down. “We should have made sure Jeff’s door had a lock.” That didn’t do it.

“Don’t take that tone with me, young lady!”

“Kyra...” Dave broke in, casting a look at his wife. Kyra swallowed what she’d been about to say and crossed her arms. She harrumphed and leaned back into the couch.

“Mom, Dad, Jeff, and I are being as careful as we can be,” Pauline explained to her parents now that she was able to get a word in. “There’s protection on both sides. We know that’s not a guarantee, so we add the rhythm method on top of both. It’s not tatistically zero, but the risk is as close to zero as we can get it.”

“That’s IT! You’re not to see him anymore!” Kyra declared, having caught her second wind.

Pauline fixed her mother with a withering gaze. “Don’t even THINK that again, Mother,” she said in a voice that dripped ice. “Jeff’s a nearly straight-A student, a three-sport athlete, is almost universally liked by every clique there is at school, and he works a job he’s held for over two years where he’s been given raise after raise because of his performance. On top of ALL of that, he manages to spend time with me and treats me like GOLD. Would you like me to continue?” Pauline crossed her arms as she continued to stare her mother down.

“Pauline...” Dave said in the same conciliatory tone he’d used before. “We’re just worried that something could happen and derail all of your plans; as much as I like Jeff, and you know I do, you’re our daughter first.”

Pauline sighed and answered her father in a much calmer tone. “Dad, I know. I know that you guys are trying to warn me about what can happen, and have experience seeing it happen to other families. As Mr. Knox pointed out, Jeff and I go to the same school; are you going to pull me out of there and send me to Palmer High?”

Her mother sighed, the angry look falling away. “No,” she admitted. “Thompkins is where both you and your brother need to be.”

“Jeff and I have slightly less than one year left together, and that’s barring some catastrophe. I’ll be headed somewhere for college at the end of next summer; he’ll just be starting his senior year. All I’m asking for is that year. No special treatment, no changes to the rules beyond what you might think reasonable as I grow up. That’s all, Mom.”

Kyra looked over at her husband who gave her an almost imperceptible nod. “Okay, honey,” Kyra said in a much quieter voice. “I’m sorry I yelled.”

“Me too, Mom,” Pauline offered. She stood up to hug her mother. “I’ll go start my homework now. Call me before dinnertime?”

“Okay, honey,” her father said, also hugging her while kissing the top of her head. “Love you.”

“Love you guys, too!” Pauline called over her shoulder as she left the room.

“Well, that ended better than it started,” Dave said to his wife as they sat back on the couch. He threw an arm around her shoulders.

Kyra sighed again. “I hate that she’s growing up! I was changing her diapers just yesterday!”

“I know, honey,” Dave chuckled. “Our parents probably said the same thing. Honestly, though, have you ever seen her this happy?”

“You mean when I’m not yelling at her?”

Dave laughed louder. “You weren’t yelling, Kyra. You were surprised by the situation and concerned for our daughter’s welfare.”

Now Kyra laughed. “Are you planning on running for office? In all seriousness, that was a well-thought-out argument she presented.”

“Yeah, her parents didn’t raise no dummy.” Kyra swatted at Dave. “So we let them keep on keepin’ on?”

Kyra cast her eyes at the ceiling. “God help me but, yes. I don’t see how we could do anything else. Trying to keep them apart wouldn’t end well.”

“We should call Joe and Marisa a little later. I would imagine that there’s a very similar conversation going on over on West Ware Road.”

“Your parents actually said that to my parents?” Jeff asked, shocked. “After the way the discussion started at your place?” He was holding Pauline in his arms as they leaned against his locker at Thompkins two days later.

“Kinda shocking, isn’t it?”

“Only slightly less than four million volts would be.”

“You’re always telling me that it’s not the voltage but the current.”

“Shaddap, kid.”

“Come on, Officer Obie,” Pauline laughed as she straightened up. “It’s time to get to homeroom.”

Jeff and Pauline continued their line of conversation the next time they saw each other, which was at lunch.

“So how do we approach this year?” Jeff asked. “Like you said, you’ll be off to college next August.”

“Same as we’ve been approaching our whole relationship, Jeff. We take it as it comes, talk about things, help each other where we can; we can fill in the details later.”

“I should probably quit my job at Bilzarian’s after graduation so I can spend more time with you.”

“No. No, I’m not sure that’s the right decision at all.”

“Why not?”

“Well...” She paused to gather her thoughts. “Alright, let’s look at it from this angle: do we spend every waking moment together?”

“No, I guess we don’t.”

“Right. While we’re together, we each also have things that we do separately, right?”

“Yeah, I guess I see what you’re saying. Mom doesn’t work at the garage fixing the same car as Dad. They have lives together at home, but each is still their own person.”

“Exactly. I think that’s how we should approach next year, specifically next summer.”

“Okay. Point taken.”

“So, what were you and Pauline talking about at lunch? Why do you need to plan out the year in September?” Kathy asked Jeff later. He and Kathy were walking to their French IV class together. Jeff now took French IV and Spanish IV, having placed out of French III.

“Well, since she’s a senior this year, she’ll obviously be at college next year, right?”

“Right.”

“So, she was trying to keep me from putting too much pressure on myself, or on both of us, about our relationship. There’s an end in sight, but I don’t need to stress over it.”

“Why does there have to be an end? Why not continue it next year?”

“First, it’ll be a long-distance relationship, no matter where she goes. Second, wherever she winds up I’ll have no frame of reference for the things she experiences. Third, if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”

“You’re too grown up.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Hey, guys,” Jeff said in greeting as he sat down to lunch the next day. Their table’s cast of characters didn’t change much from day to day: he and Pauline, Kathy and Jack, Tom and his girlfriend Connie. The only frequent change was the near-constant rotation of teammates he and Tom played with who often filled out the table. Today there was a new addition seated next to Kathy.

“Hey, Jeff. Jeff, I’d like you to meet Allison Newbury. She’s a junior like us.”

“Hi, Allison. Welcome to our little slice of heaven. I’m Jeff Knox. Did you already meet Pauline, my girlfriend?” Allison nodded that she had. “What brings you to the picturesque Swift River Valley more halfway through high school?”

Allison giggled. “Dad works for the Air Force as a civilian; he’s a logistics specialist. He recently transferred to Westover and now we live in New Salem.” Westover Air Force Base was in Chicopee, just north of Springfield. “The transport unit there is switching to a larger type of cargo plane sometime soon and the Air Force asked Dad to come help out. We’ve only been here about a month and both Mom and Dad are already talking about not ever leaving.”

Jeff raised his eyebrows. “Wow. Westover’s what? An hour from here? New Salem’s a pretty town, and you’re very welcome here, but that’s still a powerful long drive.”

“Dad said it’s worth it for us to live in this area and for me to be able to come to school here,” Allison explained. “He wants me to be challenged in math and science.”