Hoop Mama
Amy Thornton Shankland
Copyright © 2013 Amy Thornton Shankland
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2013-07-03
Dedication
For my Shankland men and everyone else who has supported me on this wonderful hoop journey. And to Nancy Berry, former English teacher at Mary Phillips Elementary School. I remembered!
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to John Chambers for the cover photo and to Krista Bocko and Lise Roberson for their honest, thorough editing.
Chapter One
“So, tell me again just how much we’re saving in delivery fees today?” James Baker asked his sister-in-law as he drove them away from the south side of Indianapolis in his well-dented Ford pick-up truck.
“We’re not saving any delivery fees today, I am,” Paula Baker responded, “And if you must know, this saves Tim and me 50 dollars.”
“Geez, I coulda given you guys 50 bucks if you wanted and saved my back and all this trouble,” James said teasingly, glancing in the rear view mirror at the white washer and dryer tied down with an assortment of bungee cords and rope.
“It’s not really the money. It’s the principle of the whole thing. I mean, c’mon! We’re spending close to 2,000 dollars for these suckers and they still want to charge a delivery fee? That’s just crazy,” Paula wrinkled up her petite nose and crossed her arms, “And besides, you’re the one who volunteered to help me this morning.”
“I know, but it’s always so much fun for me to give you a hard time!” James exclaimed. Paula gave a soft snort and lightly punched his right arm.
“Lucky me,” she said. James chuckled and gave her a crooked smile. His brother could not have found a nicer woman to marry three years ago, not to mention pretty. Tim had taken one look at the tall redhead with a dusting of freckles and was almost instantly smitten.
As they drove on Highway 65 heading southeast of Indy towards Paula and Tim’s home in Field’s Corner, which was a town so small it didn’t even have a stop light, James remembered how he had helped Tim plan his proposal to her on horseback two years ago. He had never seen his brother more nervous about anything.
James just hoped he’d get news soon that he would get to be an uncle. Ever since his parents had died in a plane crash six years ago, he had felt somewhat lost, especially during the holidays. Sure, there were a few aunts and uncles that he and Tim kept in touch with, but they had their own children to celebrate special occasions with, although one aunt in Indianapolis invited both of them to her house now and then. Tim and Paula were all he had, especially now that he was single once again after breaking up with-
“Hey, where’d the exit sign go?” Paula asked, interrupting his thoughts.
“They probably figured that all fifty people living in Field’s Corner didn’t really need it anymore,” James replied.
“Ha, ha, Mister. I’ll have you know that we actually broke a thousand according to the last Census. And we’re getting a Dairy Queen,” Paula said.
“Oh, now you’re all going big time!” James exclaimed, waving one arm in the air as he got off of the highway. “Next thing you know you’ll be getting a McDonald’s and everything!” Paula didn’t exactly give him a light punch this time.
“You like our little town and you know it. It gives you a break from all the craziness back there,” she said, pointing behind her.
James had to agree with her, if only in his mind. Field’s Corner was about a half hour southeast of where he lived in Indianapolis and he enjoyed going to visit both of them, even if it was just once a month or so. Their house literally backed up to a cornfield, and their back deck was a great spot to meditate, which was one of his favorite ways to relax.
As he drove to his brother’s house, he glimpsed over at the requisite Main Street that every small town had. There was the usual pizza place, tiny post office and town hall, liquor store, bank, gas station/mini mart, drug store, sleepy little grill/bar, and hair salon. All of the essentials were covered, with their historic brick facades in mostly good condition. And, as if to prove what Paula had said, a large sign proclaiming “Coming Soon- Field Corner’s own Dairy Queen!” had been carefully placed at the end of the three-block downtown.
Though he would have loved to have lived close to his brother and sister-in-law, it simply wouldn’t have been practical with his job. Tim was self-employed as a fitness instructor with a unique specialization, and he needed to be close to an airport and numerous gyms. Indy had plenty of both.
“So how is your Broad Ripple class going?” Paula asked, as if reading his mind.
“Not too bad… I’ve got about 15 regulars now, and they’re a fun group.” James had lived in Broad Ripple in his early 20s and had fond memories its numerous restaurants, bars, and quaint shops.
“Any cute single women in it?” James rolled his eyes as they approached his brother and sister-in-laws’ driveway.
“Jumping onto that topic a little soon, aren’t we?” James asked. He had only broken up with Robyn just two months before.
“I’m just saying that you need to keep your options open, James,” Paula said as she opened her passenger door. James didn’t bother to respond. He still felt that dull ache in his heart sometimes, and even now he felt the familiar squeeze in his chest.
‘I guess that’s allowed when a relationship of four years goes down the drain,’ he thought.
He forced himself to not think about his ex-girlfriend. Right now he needed to concentrate on the task at hand. His brother had already unhooked the old washer and dryer and taken them to be recycled. Paula unlocked the side garage door to push the button for the main door to rise.
An hour later, James had connected both of the new appliances, and Paula was sweeping the laundry room floor while he sat in the nearby kitchen enjoying a glass of iced tea. Paula had opened the windows, which was an unusual thing for an early March morning, but the temperature was already in the 70s.
“Hey, all joking aside, we really appreciate this,” Paula said, “If Tim hadn’t been called out of town he would have been able to take care of everything no problem.” His brother was a sales rep for a pharmaceutical company and had been asked unexpectedly to attend a conference in New York.
“Oh, hey, no worries,” James replied, “That’s what family’s for.”
Paula put away the broom and dust pan, washed her hands, and poured herself a glass of tea. “Let’s go out on the deck. We may have to just stand, since we haven’t gotten our patio furniture out of the garage yet, but it’s so nice out…” she left the sentence trailing as she headed toward the sliding door.
“Doesn’t bother me,” James said.
Tim and Paula owned a house in the only “new”- meaning it had been built less than 20 years ago- subdivision in Field’s Corner. It was a two story brick home with a modest front porch and a large wooden deck that Tim had built himself. While their home was nice, it wasn’t pretentious. Tim wanted to make certain he and Paula would be able to live on just one income when they had kids in the future, although Paula did work from home running a few blogs for