Love is Where One Finds It Pt. 02 Ch. 02

I later learn a loyal team member's mom phones while I am consoling Aim, wanting to check on both coaches. She completely opens up with Rose on what threw Rollin into such a tailspin. We all settle down after learning why Rollin became so angry, knowing he loves those JV girls and wants the best in life for them.

An hour later, Rollin comes to our place, sure that Aim is here. He pulls Aim into a warm hug apologizing, "Today is the angriest I have been since I was seventeen and learned my mom was killed by a drunk driver. She was walking to a local lunch place after her busy morning at the beauty salon when a man who was so drunk at noon that he drove up on the sidewalk. He pinned Mom against a wall, and she was screaming in torment for minutes until dying from massive blood loss."

Rollin is profusely crying as Aim cuddles him. "I took this job because I thought these were honest and upright high school administrators, but they deceived me. My anger was so intense I had to leave before exploding.

"Please forgive me, darling, but when the former varsity girls' basketball head coach questioned your ability, I lost it. You and the JV girls are the reason I am slowly beginning to shed the binding emotional shackles of my mom's tragic death. I had to leave before altogether losing it and beating him severely. I have walked around dazed ever since then."

Aim deeply kisses Rollin, "I LOVE AND BELIEVE IN YOU, MY DARLING!"

Rollin then tells Aim, Rose, and me what happened in the meeting. We will brief mom Onna May later since she took Sandi to the park and then to KFC during our intense conversation.

ADMINISTRATION MEETING- ROLLIN POV

I am scheduling a meeting with the Principal to recommend changes for the JV girls' team's new season and am blindsided on two fronts. I encounter significant and unreasonable headwinds with both of our proposals.

I officially recommend Aim start the basketball season as Head Coach and me as the Assistant Coach. The Athletic Department's representative, who is attending the meeting, objects immediately, saying Aim is not qualified to coach.

Although the Varsity Girls' Basketball Team coaches are temporarily suspended due to the drug scandal, they are still in the athletic department until a final resolution is made. So I would not ink my two-year JV Coach contract until the school administration agreed the suspended coaches were 100% prohibited from any contact with my JV girls' team.

The Principal was dishonest with me on this item since he allowed the Athletic Department to designate a non-coaching representative to sit in on my meetings with him and the administration.

The former basketball coaches are negligent in their duties, yet they are given a slap on the wrist. Meanwhile, female student-athletes receive much harsher punishment, being kicked off the team and possibly expelled from school. The varsity team's senior girls are no longer being considered for deserved college basketball scholarship offers because of this action.

As a part of my signed contract, the previous coaching staff is banned from attending JV practices or other noncoaching interactions with our JV girls. These young girls range from 13 to 16 years old and are vulnerable, so I want to protect them. The Principal approved, also signing my contract.

Since these suspended coaches are prohibited from talking to the girls, they approach some JV players' parents. The suspended coaches ask for the parent's approval for their daughters to move up to the Varsity team, which I now learn has been reinstated. According to the Principal, the Varsity Coaches are now completely exonerated of any negligence in the drug scandal.

I explode at the Principal, yelling that the school administration is violating the no-contact provision of my contract. I also accuse him and the administration of dangerously violating the spirit of our discussions, which was to protect these younger girls from potential drug danger or sexual abuse. I was blown away by the Principal's attitude, not even informing me about the coaches' exoneration and the reinstatement of the Varsity Girls' Basketball program.

This same dubious group of suspended coaches vociferously argues against Aim being named the JV Head Coach before the season's opening game. Again, I strongly advise the school administration that these impressionable young girls need a strong ethical female coach. I am staying as the assistant coach, but Aim should be named head coach.

The Principal notes the Athletic department's objection to Aim being Head Coach, saying he will consider it. I jumped up, calling him a bald-faced liar, and I quit because this was all administrative scheming crap, and he used me. I walked out of the meeting, swearing to holy hell, but I did not officially resign.

BACK TO JAIM'S POV

I ask Rollin if we can help because it's obvious this terrible situation with the JV girls is eating at him emotionally.

He groans, "I don't understand it. How can these so-called former coaches ruthlessly sacrifice the varsity female players' lives and now feel they can go after the best younger JV girls. They are so young, making them highly susceptible to abuse!"

After a bit of back and forth on how to move forward, ROSES LLC's entire management team stands with Rollin. We recommend he call the JV Girls' parents for a mandatory Saturday morning team meeting for players and their parents. We have four days to finalize our plan of attack to protect the JV Girls, hopefully receiving the full support of their parents.

Aim and Rollin will hold the meeting at the main Public Library, using one of their larger conference rooms. The HS Principal and one other person from the administration are invited. No other persons from the high school's athletic department can attend. The coaches of the other school sports can't object since the meeting is being held off-site, not on school property. By Saturday morning, dad Martel and Carmen, and other key persons will be in Nashville.

Mom Onna May, Rose, Carmen, and dad Martel, as well as the Head Librarian, Ms. McAllister, attend the meeting supporting Rollin. All fifteen JV Players, along with twelve parents, are present. Aim has talked with the three missing parents who have work conflicts, promising to update them later Saturday evening.

The meeting is loud and raucous, with all fifteen JV Girls fiercely supporting Aim being named their head coach.

A couple of parents complain that keeping all the girls on the JV squad will translate into a losing season for the high school. Without them, there are not enough older girls to field the varsity team.

Rollin stands slowly, "Let me be clear in my understanding of your points. You moms and dads are willing to expose your young daughters to potential drug and sexual abuse to win a few basketball games. If my understanding is correct, I am immediately resigning!"

The JV girls cry, "No, coach Rollins and Aim, we need you. We believe 100% in your teaching of Excellence Tops Winning."

One young player, Rach, is in tears, "I worked my rear end off and have a 3.15 GPA for the first time in my life. Our coaches teach us we are primarily in school to learn. Basketball is an extra-curricular activity in which we must earn the right to participate by maintaining good grades. Our principal has decided to punish us for pledging to work hard on our studies. This is the craziest thing I have ever heard!"

Rose's dad, Felix Martel, stands, introducing himself as CEO of Martel Enterprises, a multibillion-dollar consortium. "We are investing in Nashville with a revamped division, Roses Cosmetics & Fashions LLC, which is also a registered JV team booster. I know Coach Rollin, who was an NCAA Academic All-American at Duke. He then earned an MBA at the Fuqua Business school in two years while also a special assistant to the Duke Women's Basketball team.

"I also know Coach Aim and her twin Jaim. Jaim was an All-American/All-Southeastern Conference Basketball player in her junior and senior years at Vanderbilt. She is sitting in this room in abject disbelief at what she hears from some parents and the Principal.

"Exposing fragile young girls aged 13 to 16 to the same coaches who allowed drugs to be given to the Varsity Girls last season is a risk. Coach Rollin spoke with many older varsity players and their moms, who insisted their daughters did not smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs.

"Coaches Rollin, Aim, and I strongly feel these varsity coaches were derelict in their duties. They were probably out boozing at some bar when they should have protected their players. How can this school justify potentially sacrificing the precious lives of these young JV girls just to win a few basketball games?"

Ms. McAllister, the Head Librarian, asks to speak. "I want to inform Coach Rollin that some very special guests just arrived. The six girls who were kicked off the varsity team and their moms are waiting outside. We also have Ms. Jessica Warren, representing the NCAA and three member universities."

The special guests were admitted, and a collective gasp erupted from the captive audience as Ms. Warren spoke. "I don't know if any of you know this, but Coach Rollin has been waging a fierce battle to clear these six girls' names, so they can qualify for NCAA basketball scholarships."

Sighing, "I was stunned to learn that Coach Rollin never coached or knew most of the young players, yet adamantly took up their cause. I understand that Coach Rollin arrived at the high school in mid-JAN 2022, so he contacted the NCAA within his first month here. The NCAA Rules office communicated with Coach Rollin several times before assigning me to handle his query investigation.

"I understand there has been quite a bit of turbulence due to the NOV 2021 drug scandal, which preceded Coach Rollin. To the best of my knowledge, even Assistant Coach Aim is unaware of Coach Rollin's heroic efforts on behalf of these six young ladies. Ms. McAllister later became involved in helping Coach Rollin since she knew many details about the scandal."

Finally, Ms. Warren asks everyone to understand. "My efforts in investigating this unfortunate issue are to determine if the six young girls are guilty of knowingly using drugs. I agree 100% with Coach Rollin that the answer is NO."

She continues, "The NCAA has authorized my office to approve six full athletic scholarships for these young girls. These are NCAA scholarships, which are to the preferred universities of the six young ladies. But I must remind them they must still pass all required academic entrance testing and maintain a cumulative minimum 2.50 GPA for four years."

Everyone at the meeting stands screaming in joy, loudly applauding Ms. Warren's announcement of the girls' basketball scholarships.

Aim bowls Rollin over with many kisses on the cheek, "I am so proud of you, my darling, and am solidly standing by your side to stay or leave the high school."

Brenda stands proudly, "Coaches Rollin and Aim cannot be allowed leave now, or the Nerd Squad will have to disband. No other coaches can help us reach for the stars jointly in academics and athletics."

Blushing brightly, Brenda commits, "Dawn, Mimi, and I are the Nerd Squad. We promise Ms. Warren, the NCAA, and the three universities the Nerd Squad will tutor our six varsity team members. They will pass entrance testing and maintain a cumulative 2.8 or higher GPA."

In tears, the three nerds then run over, hugging the six girls, "Coaches Rollin and Aim are simply the best!"

Dad Martel stands again and nails it, "Our Martel's Enterprise has just formed an Academic Foundation that will transfer $200,000 to ROSES LLC's Corporate Account. These funds will explicitly be used to pay for the six girls' travel home for Christmas and Summer vacation during their four years of college. The funds can also be used for approved but unfunded university travel.

"Mrs. Onna May Jones, ROSES LLC COB, will have fiduciary responsibility for releasing the funds to the NCAA or specific universities. We hope not to inadvertently violate NCAA policies when financially supporting our student-athletes."

At this point, Principal Archer interjects, "Our school administration will formally apologize to Coaches Rollin and Aim in writing. I pledge to follow the letter and spirit of our 2022-2024 contract with Mr. Rollin Allan Wenton.

"Effective immediately, Ms. Aimee Lou Anderson is appointed the JV Girls' Basketball Team Head Coach, and Coach Rollin moves to Assistant Coach. We will modify both Coaches' administrative contracts as appropriate."

Now that all is settled with the JV teams' status, Aim and Rollin quickly move forward with the open house two weeks after starting the HS fall semester. The Open House will be in two phases, as described before the highly volatile post spring drills drama.

ROSES LLC GRAND OPENING

The drama, awaiting Rose's and my return to Nashville, finally subsides after the Library team meeting. All is moving along smoothly with the scheduled opening of ROSES LLC!

Our distribution network setup is in the final stage. We are racing to take preorders for our OCT 2022 Grand Opening. Jenny does a tremendous job of preparing the Nashville Jewelry Emporium as the primary focus of ROSES LLC's initial publicity campaign.

Rose, Jenny, and I are key management staff working the grand opening. The store's Fire Marshall-approved maximum capacity is 125 persons, so Sandi and Mary are parked at the entrance with hand counters. They are cutely attired in Sky Blue dresses with ROSES LLC Monograms on the left side. Jenny, Rose, and I are similarly dressed, but our dresses are Powder Blue.

People have been standing in line all morning, starting an hour before the jewelry emporium opens. We assign numbers in blocks of 25 each and reserve their places in line. The groups after the second block are encouraged to visit the other local shops and merchants for one or two hours since their places in line are secure.

Jenny and Lillie set the fashion displays up a week before our grand opening. Every fashion display item has received many preorders. Rose and I are starting to worry if Bertha's Designs can fill them all, plus hundreds more orders expected from today.

Finally, Alex set up a marvelous cosmetic display counter near the fashion display section with a few aromatic perfumes. These perfumes previously had intensive due diligence confirming all chemicals as being 100% free of cancer and cancer risk agents.

Hordes of ladies stop by and place a whiff behind their ear, as Alex suggests. Once the aroma widens into their nostrils, many ladies clamor to purchase one of the 2ml sample bottles.

Alex teases them, asking to see their fashion preorder receipt. He then gives each lady holding purchase and/or preorder receipts a free 2ml bottle of the two most popular fragrances. Alex also provides every person with a mini copy of our advertising brochure. The pamphlet shows that the full line of ROSES LLC Cosmetic products will be available at the Jewelry Emporium by 10 APR 2023, in time for Easter.

I use the owner's office to arrange a Zoom meeting with Bertha, Melody, Rose, Carmen, and me. Bertha reports a remarkable volume of Nashville pre- and current grand opening orders. Also, small orders are now trickling in from Jewelers in several other targeted southern states. Bertha's Design will strive to fill every order accepted before 7:00 PM EDT, shipping all pre/post Grand Opening orders by 01 DEC 2022. All orders received after today cannot be delivered until mid-JAN 2023.

ENTERTAINMENT TODAY'S TV NEWSFLASH!

Roses Cosmetics & Fashions Roars Into Nashville OCT 2022

***

After the dust settles, on Tuesday, 04 OCT, Rose and I have a public relations staff meeting with mom Onna May, Nancy, Sandi, and Mary. We praise the two nearly 6-year-olds for their outstanding job guiding store traffic during our grand opening at the Nashville Jewelry Emporium.

I explain we are officially adding Sandi and Mary to ROSES LLC's Public Relations team. They will be our official ROSES LLC Greeters for all special advertising functions. So, grandma Onna May and Nancy will bring them to all future grand openings in Southeastern USA.

Our two special six-year-old girls happily dance/roll around the living room floor. They celebrate that they now work for Roses like the big people because we are a family. They are so excited, especially learning they will be paid workers like us.

Mom Onna May and Nancy give us big smiles and a thumbs-up sign.

SABOTAGE AT JV GIRLS' FIRST GAME:

Meanwhile, Rollin, Aim, and the JV Girls' basketball team get thrown into chaos. As most of us focus on sales and orders from the 01 OCT 2022 ROSES LLC Grand Opening, Rollin receives startling news.

The previous athletic administrative staff (now fired) had committed the High School Varsity girls' team to play in a prestigious pre-season tournament. The pre-season tournament is on 05/06 NOV 2022 in Knoxville, TN, just two months after the school year starts.

The girls' varsity team is no longer eligible for lack of players, so the high school must officially withdraw from the tournament. Alternatively, they could have the JV girls play against older players and more experienced teams.

Rollin informs Aim, who quickly visits the school where they meet with Principal Archer. Both coaches stress that, in fairness, the team members should decide yes or no on playing. So Aim schedules a brief team meeting for the following day at the library, inviting parents as well. Rose and I joined in on the discussion, adding our two cents. The players and parents thoroughly discussed this issue, noting the potential pitfalls of the JV girls playing.

Dawn of the Nerd Squad finally stands, asking the other fourteen girls, "Are we quitters because if we withdraw, everyone will label us cowards? I say we go and play while practicing like crazy for the next month and play with excellence like coaches Aim and Rollin teach us!"

Aim glances at Rollin, asking, "Do any parents want to comment on playing in Knoxville or add to Dawn's declaration of us not being quitters?"

Brenda's mom stands, "My daughter has never been interested in sports, most likely because other students are uncomfortable around her being a brilliant student. I love my daughter and have seen a dramatic change in her personality since our coaches invited the nerds to join the team. Brenda is still smart but now has a warm heart in understanding her intelligence is a gift, the same as Joycelyn's athletic ability is a gift.

"The two girls were never adversaries but simply existed in separate worlds. Coaches Aim and Rollin's outreach brought Brenda and Joycelyn together in 'One World,' with their now being great friends."

She adds, "Let the girls play in Knoxville if they want to since the team wholly understands the risk and potential heartbreak of a blowout loss!"

Coach Aim asks, "Do all team members want to play in Knoxville?" She receives a solid, standing, yes!

She states, "We have a month until tournament day, so Coach Rollin and I are asking all parents and friends to help us prepare the team for a basketball game in the furnace."

ANOTHER LOST SOUL IN THE LIBRARY-AIM'S POV

Even with the Knoxville basketball exhibition tournament around the corner, I continue working full-time at Nashville's Main Library. However, my hours vary, depending on our practice schedule and other team needs. I am usually in for three hours early morning on weekdays, but my remaining 25 hours each week are scattered all over the place as I fill in for other staff who are sick or have approved time off.