“Thursday’s meeting here at RJE starts at six-thirty sharp,” Coach Acevedo said when we circled up by the stage at the end of practice. “It won’t be a long meeting, but it is mandatory. Everyone needs to be here with a parent or guardian. I’ll send out all the deets in an email this evening.”
“Will there be food?” Diego asked.
“Yes, Diego, there will be food,” Coach Acevedo said.
“Sweet!” Diego drum-rolled the floor. “I’m so there.”
“It also looks like we resolved our chaperone dilemma,” Coach Acevedo added. “I’ll know for sure in the next day or so. I’ll keep you posted.” He held up a finger. “Give me a sec. I have something for everyone.” He headed for the sideline.
“Sick cut on that pass from Diego,” I said, tapping Red’s knee. He was sitting beside me on the front of the stage.
“Thanks, Mason Irving.”
“That was the best I’ve ever seen you play.”
“That makes two of us,” Maya added. She was on the other side of Red.
“Thanks, Maya Wade.” Red basketball-smiled and swung his legs.
“So I have something for you,” Coach Acevedo said, jogging back over with a large carton. “A surprise.”
“A good surprise?” Maya asked. She slid off the stage.
“I think so.” He put the carton down and opened the top flaps. “There’s one for everyone. They’re all the same size.”
Speedy reached the box first and pulled out a folded navy Clifton United hoodie.
“Sweet!” Diego knee-slid to the box and grabbed three. He tossed one to Hudson and one to Maya.
“These are hot!” Speedy said, shaking out her sweatshirt and holding it up.
“Ballin’!” Maya said. She put hers on.
Diego handed out the rest.
“Oh, yeah!” Red said when he got his. He jumped off the stage. “Thanks, Coach Acevedo.”
“Don’t thank me,” he said. “Thank Mehdi’s dad the next time you see him. He’s the one who had them made.”
Elbows high-fived Mehdi. Zoe and Super-Size gave him pounds.
“Yo, we should all wear these on Friday,” Diego said, putting his on.
“I like that,” Coach Acevedo said. “I’ll include a reminder in the email.”
“I feel like I’m wearing a hospital gown again,” Diego said, leaping onto the stage. His hoodie was a little big on him. “Can I tell my hospital gown story?” He looked at Coach Acevedo.
“Do we have a choice?”
Diego flipped up his hood and swatted the strings. “The first few times I was in the hospital, I had to wear a gown. But I always forgot to tie it, and my beautiful butt would always hang out.” He turned around, lifted up the sweatshirt, and shook his butt. “So my uncle made me a glitter ‘Kick Me’ sign and clipped it to the back of my gown. I wore it everywhere!”
“Thanks, Diego,” Coach Acevedo said.
“Can I say one more thing?” Diego jumped off the stage and held up his hand like he was taking an oath. “I promise it’s not about my beautiful butt.”
Coach Acevedo motioned for him to go ahead.
“When you’re in the hospital for as long as I was,” Diego said, “you start to wonder if you’re ever going to get out. You can’t help it.” He swallowed. “So I just wanted to say thanks … because one of the things … one of the things that kept me going was the thought of playing on a basketball team with my friends. Like this.” He thumped his chest. “Clifton United rocks.”