A Range Rover Evoque was driven into an uppity neighborhood on the east side of Philadelphia. The vehicle was as silver as that used by the Eagles' team. As it was parked in a driveway, nearly full of current vehicles, the left window rolled down, and the driver, Anne Miller, was greeted by an elderly woman, Carolline, at her door.
''Anne, I'm so glad to see you home. I watched the game on TV and all of your old friends from your once high school team couldn't be more proud of you.''
''Thanks, mom,'' Anne greeted her mother.
Caroline helped with her daughter's luggage. Soon, she was walking with Anne to the front doorway as the latter was amazed by the many guests present inside, drinking beer and tasting popcorn while watching Penn State's Nitty Lions duel the UConn Huskies.
Mrs. Miller leaned toward her daughter and whispered, ''I'm so glad you made it into the NFL, rather than stay in the amateur world of college sports.''
Anne laughed. ''Mom, I know you add dad loves sports,'' she said, as they approached the back room refrigerator. ''Still, you know that I've never wanted this forever.''
Caroline grinned. ''Dear, sports run in your blood. Our family has always prized our relatives' association with local teams. You are a cheerleader today, just as I was for Saint Louis years ago. And your father was a baller for the Catholic University of America. Our English and Irish Catholic ancestry runs in us, just as does our love of a good game. You made your parents proud the day you auditioned and were accepted into the Philadelphia Eagles. You just need to find a good man, preferably another player in your league.''
Anne's smile remained respectful, though the exchange revealed the long-standing expectations her mother had of her marrying a specific type of man.
''How is your boyfriend?'' Caroline asked. ''Robert Leroy is a good Catholic as you are; at his Notre Dame graduation, I knew that he would make a fitting player for the NFL.''
''Well, last night I just went out with him. I enjoyed our talks, though he never says anything about Catholicism except what's related to sports.''
''Truly, dear, I would have dreamed of the romance that you have with him now,'' Caroline added. ''The fact that he has had an eye for you since he was eighteen is just so pleasing. Your father was a good sportsman, but never as Robert is.''
Anne faced the sink, feeling that her mother was more in love with Robert than she was.
''Besides, his family has been so close to us for so long,'' Caroline continued. ''I can't imagine anyone else serving as a better fit for marriage to my cheerleading daughter than the man who has performed three successful Hail Marys.''
Anne suddenly lost her appetite for the food present.
''I never told you, dear,'' Caroline added. ''But the Leroy family has been so kind to us over the years. Several years ago, when I told you that I your father wished to send you to the University of Pennsylvania, it was the Leroos that we depended on for covering your tuition.''
Anne's eyes fell to the floor as her cheeks felt an awkward blush and obligation to the man with whom she was currently in a relationship. ''Why didn't you tell me this before?'' she asked.
Caroline kissed her daughter's right cheek. ''It wasn't necessary yet, dear.''
By the last line, Anne inferred that her mother was expecting a marriage between her and Robert. As her mother passed her, she turned to the crowd of people in the next three rooms, seeing their neighborhood friends and associates from both church and schools present. Many of them were cheering the games on, with nothing else much considered in their wide heads. Though Anne enjoyed her dancing practices and the games of the NFL, sometimes she also realized that she felt more than those around her, sensed more to the human soul than its role a game of sports, desired to be as delightful as a cheerleader, while also as thoughtful as the elementary education career that she was pursuing.
Anne drew a soda from the cabinet and took a drink. Somehow, she felt the need to drink while considering the man in her life whom she and her friends called, "boyfriend.’’ Suddenly, she thought of him, wondering if his interests were as serious as her mother portrayed.
The young woman then headed to the back steps in the house and ascended them before passing by the railed hallway above, hanging over the living room. She watched as her father watched the game with his neighborhood friends. Then, she headed to her bedroom, where a poster of the University of Pennsylvania shield was always displayed on her door.
There were shelves inside her bedroom of children’s books, especially Elizabeth Goudge’s The Little White Horse and Olivia Coolidge’s The Trojan War. By her bed was a poster of her at thirteen in her black cheerleading uniform with red letters of St. Thomas Middle School. Nearer to her doorway, a poster remained of her at sixteen dressed in her blue uniform, while proudly bearing the name of St. Bellarmine High School in yellow print. In both cases, she wore a bright, white bow in her brown hair, showing her off as pure and attractive at once.
She sat down briefly as her eyes surveyed all sides of the room. She recalled her teenage years in this room, dressing and preparing for the local games. The years had seemed less complex then. At thirteen, she could look over at a guy her age, and they teased one another with a playful flirtation that didn’t have to result in marriage. She, however, was no longer content with such flirtations and desired both the presence of elementary children in her classroom as well as a man to love.
Anne drew an album under her desk. Inside were photos of the past three years. A number of photos stood out before her of her and Robert together. She thought him handsome and safe—-she had known him for so long. The spark was missing, however, and it always had been, and that meant everything to her.
The member of the Eagles' Squad had nothing to cheer about today. She knew that she would be seeing Robert again. She was interested in him, less than ever. Besides, though she had been raised with an interest in dance and later, in sports, she was going to graduate with a Master of Science in Teaching in less than half a year. Her life was about to change as she transferred her focus from cheerleading to teaching. The young woman with the ribbons in her hair had evolved into a lover of the classroom and the joy of teaching youth.
Just as she was thinking to herself, her door opened, and a young woman of fifteen began to speak to her. ''Sis, come here quick.''
Anne lifted from her bed. ''What is it, Penelope?'' she asked.
They headed to the window in the parallel room. A large window was there, with a clear image of Philadelphia in the distance. Both female faces were on the sides of the open window, with closed eyes, as they smelled the freshness of their backyard. They quietly watched the squirrels hover over the high trees in their backyard here as Anne recalled reading books from the local library outside to her younger sister.
''Lately, I have forgotten how beautiful the flowers smell here,'' Anne added.
''Yah, your apartment lacks the beauty of our backyard,'' Penelope added.
''True, though I'm closer to my school,'' Anne smiled back at her younger sister.
''I wish you were here more often, as you used to be. Remember our times at the movies together? We had so much fun watching all the old stuff. Rebel Without A Cause, we used to watch over and over before you began your undergraduate studies.''
''I know, those were good times.''
''Aunt Bess has good taste, and I'm glad she showed you all the old films when you grew up.''
''Me too. Mom would have unlikely ever named me Anne Miller after one of those past actresses if it wasn't for our aunt's love of film.''
''Yah, mom doesn't get the Hollywood stuff. She thinks the movies are glamorous and all, but I guess most of us Millers in Philadelphia have preferred sports as not just our recreation, but as our major source of entertainment.''
''I don't see them as competitors,'' Anne said, sipping again at her can. ''The two are very different.''
''Certainly.''
They pulled back from the window. Penelope smiled and then embraced her sister. ''I'm glad that you are home today.''
Anne returned the embrace for her sister. Despite other pressures associated with her mom, her younger sister's presence always brought joy to her heart.
The two hugged long. When it ended, Anne gazed out the window again, without yet noticing what her sister was doing. Penelope, however, had inserted a CD into her radio as Bruno Mars ''Just the Way You Are'' Began to play loud enough for the guests in the adjacent rooms to hear it.
Suddenly, both Anne and Penelope were dancing by the open window. Today, there was no need for them to perform, to pretend to be anything, but to be beautiful, just the way they were.
Downstairs, the football audience became more rowdy watching the conclusion of the game. When they heard the song from upstairs, they remained confused about what was happening, having no idea just how joyful Anne and Penelope felt at the moment.
When the song ended, the two sisters embraced again, laughing, breathing, living to the fullness of their lives' potential. Another pop song followed, bringing pleasure to their ears. They then settled for another long embrace.
''I know you can't be home for long, though I'm glad you came to visit me for my birthday weekend,'' said Penelope.
''Of course, I couldn't bear to miss it,'' Anne said, holding her sister's face, while viewing the House Sparrows landing on the branch crossing at their window.
Anne considered the coming birthday party. Just as equally, she felt disturbed by the thought that she was obligated to the Leroys for their paying for her undergrad. She was fond of Robert as a person, but now sensed her mother's expectation that she wed into their family.
The Majorette, however, had a soft spot for her younger sister. As much as possible, she attempted to keep her smile bright and warm for her sister to see.
Comments
Post a Comment