"It's About Time" Georgie Cooper

Changing the Game

Georgie and I hadn't really talked in deep conversation about whatever our feelings were. We had been working in Dale's shop for a few weeks now. So only small talk when the other needed help with a customer.  Rounding the counter top I handed a person back their change before I eyed the clock seeing it was time for me to be off of work. "That's my shift. Georgie I'll see you tomorrow." I headed towards the front door about to leave.

"Y/n, hang on a sec. Can I talk to you real quick?" He made me pause from pushing open the door to leave.

I clicked my tongue looking over my shoulder at him. "I guess so. But make it quick I have to meet your sister before she tries out."

"Yeah I heard that was today. But I was thinking if you're free afterwards that we could hang out." Georgie shrugged his shoulders standing a few steps away from me.

I clicked my tongue feeling uneasy about talking with him right now. I wasn't brave enough to tell him how I really felt and I wasn't sure that I would ever get there. "I'll see if I'm free, Georgie. But I - uh should go. I promised I wouldn't be late." Pushing the door opened the young Cooper watched his best friend leave the store and he dropped the half smile on his face knowing he needed to say something sooner rather than later.

George sr, Missy and I got out of his truck before I watched Missy slam the backdoor behind her including her bedroom door in anger. Waiting outside her room i wasn't sure what to say listening to the parents talk about what happened in the kitchen. Memaw's shoes quickly stomped down the hallway pushing the door open. "You want to be on that baseball team?"

"Yes, but the coach said-" Missy sat up on her bed.
Connie cut her granddaughter's words. "I don't care what he said get your glove, let's go."

She got up from the bed coming to meet me in the hallway until Sheldon spoke up. "Missy.."

She halted glaring at him. "What?"

He sent her a good boost of confidence rather than a snarky comment. "Do good baseball."

Connie, Missy and I got in her car driving to the baseball field where the coach was. I gasped in surprise seeing that the coach was in fact my boss at the sporting good's store. Connie stomped up to him while he was packing the back of his truck. "You tell my granddaughter she can't play baseball?"

"Oh, well, I was just looking out for her, that's all." My boss responded to her.

Connie snapped back. "Is that so? Well, we don't need you deciding what's best for her."

"What do you need?" He asked.

Connie nodded her head poking her index finger into his chest. "I need you to give her the same chance you would a boy!"

"Or what?" He challenged her.

But she wasn't going down without a fight. "Or you and me gonna have problems."

"Well, we wouldn't want that, would we?" Dale picked up a ball and glove handing it to her.

"No, we wouldn't." She takes the gear coming over to the two of us. Handing it to Missy she stands beside me and behind the young girl. "Fire it in there, baby."

"I'm scared." Missy put the ball in one hand and slipped the glove on her opposite looking at my boss but didn't throw it immmedatly.

Connie faced her granddaughter looking her dead in the eye. "Meemaw has just made a scene. Now is not the time to be scared!"

"Come on, Missy just picture me down there. Throw the ball to me." I encouraged the girl knowing that she had really impressive aim.

Missy takes a breath before launching the ball directly into his glove. I jumped up in the air cheering for her while Connie removed her sunglasses teasing the coach. "I'm just a girl. But I think that's called a Strike."