The New Softballers Ch. 05

The story thus far: In Part 1, Carol Gibson, the daughter of Pat and Mike of "To Serve and Protect" fame, is enrolling in college when she meets a high school classmate who's playing on the college softball team. They're also organizing a late-summer intramural league to help the team's star pitcher, who's been bothered by a knee injury, rehabilitate. Carol agrees to come to tryouts, and actually meets the pitcher, a curt and abrasive woman trying to deal with pain on multiple levels. Later, the young woman who asked Carol to try out makes love with her older female lover, who enjoys the experience but wonders what the younger woman really gets out of it – and whether she is hot for Carol instead.

In Part 2, Carol goes to tryouts for the team and impresses the coaches with her fielding and baserunning abilities. While undressing after the workout, she again meets Beth Wilson, the star pitcher. Beth is horrified when she recognizes Carol from a fake porno site that her husband and brother-in-law, who's one of the coaches, had accessed. Beth immediately tries to become nice to Carol, leading Carol to wonder if Beth might be hot for her. Later that night, two other players on the team, longtime lovers, play a sexual game with toys and elaborate courtesy.

In Part 3, Carol's team is returning home from a game when two team members start to have sex on the bus. Carol and Beth both witness the lovemaking with embarrassed shyness. Suddenly, the bus driver stomps on the brakes in a deliberate attempt to humiliate the lovers, to whom he's been tipped off by another team member who hates Beth and lesbians. Beth gravely re-injures her knee, and the lovers, as well as other team members (including Carol) are also injured. Carol's parents, police officers following in their own car, arrive on the scene and prevent a major confrontation, and help the injured players get to a hospital. The troublemaking team member is booted, but threatens even more retaliation.

In Part 4, Carol visits Beth in the hospital. Beth's playing career is done because of the injury, and her marriage is a hopeless case because of fighting with her husband even though she still truly loves him. To boost Beth's spirits, the team arranges to have her come to the team's big game in Atlanta and be a bench coach. When they arrive, the coach and the team's biggest booster have bad news for Beth. It has become public that Beth was taking steroids, and now a scandal threatens to sink the softball program. The coach and booster, who have been lovers off and on for years, discuss the situation during a lovemaking session. At the same time, Beth confesses all to Carol, who forgives her and promises to try to help. The coach and booster also vow to work through the scandal and not leave Beth hung up to dry. After Carol goes to sleep (alone), Beth stays up and thinks about the lesbian lovers in the previous chapters. She finds she is attracted to all of them and hopes to make friends with them.

My sincerest thanks to patricia51 and all who have previewed this story.

*****

The next day's game was a barnburner. The other team, designated the home team by a coin flip, showed their defensive prowess in the very first inning when their left fielder raced down a line drive into the corner, spun while still moving, pulled the ball out her glove with her left hand and launched a bullet right to the shortstop, the relay doubling Sarah off first base by thirty feet. In the bottom of the inning, their best hitter launched a shot that could have brought rain, but it was foul by inches. However, the home team pushed across a run on a single, an outfield error on which the runner took third base, and a short fly that Carol caught, but was blinded by the sun and didn't throw home until way too late.

Carol made up for it in the top of the next inning, showing some daring baserunning on a grounder to center field that she stretched into a double. Tracy beat out a slow roller and Ariel followed with a two-run double.

The teams traded another pair of runs and went to the bottom of the final inning with Butler College clinging to a one-run lead. Beth had become steadily more vocal in her encouragement of the players. She also had some words with Coach T about the lineup due for the home team. She had observed them carefully and was concerned that Camille was getting tired on the mound.

The apprehensions were very well-grounded. Camille hit the first batter of the inning when a pitch sailed on her. That young lady stole second base on a strikeout, and the next batter was intentionally walked. An infield out advanced the runners into scoring position, and the fifth batter was intentionally walked. A forceout or a strikeout would end the game, but so would anything hit beyond the infield, and the next batter up had already hit three hard line drives.

Beth spoke to Coach T while the next batter was getting settled in. Coach T immediately called time and came out of the dugout. She went straight to the pitcher's mound and waved Mary up as well. Most of the infielders gathered.

"Look," Coach T said, "I hate to take you out at a time like this, but Melissa's been working on her sidearm curve and these other kids don't know her at all. You two go to the outfield for this one batter because I want you back in case she walks that young lady. I don't think she will. Left side of the infield, do an overshift because that's where the ball will be headed. Camille, you've earned a W and now it's time for Melissa to earn an S."

The umpire came out to ask for the game to move along. When he was a few steps away from the mound, Coach T raised her left hand up high in the unmistakable call to the bullpen. Camille trotted to the outfield and Mary went to change out of her catcher's gear.

"This game really counts to you?" the umpire asked.

"More than you'll know, Blue," Coach T said amiably.

The umpire shrugged. "Just don't let anybody get hurt. I can't see the bullpen and I don't know how long your pitcher's been warming up."

"A long time," Coach T said and left it at that.

The coach of the other team complained, mainly trying to protect her somewhat fidgety hitter. The umpire had a few words with the coach, who abruptly quieted and went back to the dugout. Melissa ignored the complaining and set up with Ariel. The warm-up pitches seemed to go well. On Beth's urging, Coach T drew in part of her infield, but put Carol and Tracy at double-play depth in case something got hit hard and they needed extra reaction time.

Melissa's first pitch broke sharply and caught the outside corner for a called strike. The second pitch, pretty much in the same location, was swung on and fouled off. At the top of her delivery for the third pitch, Melissa seemed to hesitate and let go of the ball anyway. Wild pitch? As the Butler fielders gasped, Ariel leaped to her feet, lunged way outside and somehow hung on to the ball. She staggered, but the runner on third base smelled a hidden-ball trick – which in fact it was – and didn't try to score despite yelling from the batter.

The battle continued. The batter kept fouling off pitches, one of them down the third-base line which kicked foul before Sarah could get to it. Melissa missed with one pitch by an inch or so, another by less than that. Ten pitches into the at-bat and the count was full.

Coach Wilson called time and went out to the mound. He said something Beth had noticed, and pointed to Carol. Carol, who had been playing almost on top of second base, moved about twenty feet toward third. There was now a big gap between second and short, with only Melissa covering it. The batter took notice and shifted in the batter's box.

The curveball zoomed in. The batter saw very late that it would drop for a called strike. She took a desperation swing and got under the ball, sending a soft liner into no-man's land beyond the rim of the infield, between third and short.

Carol ran desperately in a diagonal. If the ball fell safely, the two lead runners could outrun any throw home. She made a desperation lunge and left her feet ...

The ball smacked into Carol's glove. That was the good news. The bad news was that she came down onto her right arm. She had no time to brace herself, so focused was she on holding onto the ball. Everything landed on the right arm, with her elbow slamming into her stomach.

Carol held the ball high. Then she rolled over and puked.

Then entire team was out to her in a matter of seconds. Even the opposing team's baserunners came over to check on the young woman who had just made a spectacular play to rob them of a victory. Beth was doing a Long John Silver imitation on her crutches – but Long John Silver, if you've read the book, could move just pretty darn fast when he had to. Beth pushed her way through the crowd, got down on her good knee, slid her arms around Carol and lifted her from the ground so Coach Wilson and Coach T could check for a fracture.

Carol would be sore for days afterward, but there was no fracture. The team had won the game. Carol didn't feel like a hero, but the faces around her said she was.

*****

Five weeks later, Beth visited the Gibson house for supper. Carol had invited her, and had told her a number of things about her family and about something else to follow. At Beth's request, Roger Wilson drove her over and was part of the supper party. Roger had provided Beth with a lot of moral support when his kid brother went off to Arizona, and Beth also wanted him to meet two of the local legends of law enforcement. Mike and Pat objected mildly to being called "legends," but they didn't mind. Carol had said a lot of nice things about him.

Carol had talked frankly with her mom about the moral support Carol herself was going to provide Beth. You see, Beth was going to have her first female-female sex later that night.

Sarah had been the initiator of the idea. She knew Beth had a crush on Carol, but that Carol wasn't gay. The day after the big game, she called Carol and talked to her about her own feelings for Beth. Carol was surprised to learn that Sarah, before meeting Tracy, had often thought of Beth as a lover and had come close to propositioning her often – but Beth had always had a boyfriend at the time.

"But what about Tracy?" Carol had said.

Sarah had sighed. "Tracy is a wonderful girl, but basically she's still a girl. When I graduate and get out into the real world, the realities of a relationship will hit her and she won't be ready for them. She thinks we'll have multiple partners and sleepovers and all that, and it isn't like that. At the same time, she has a crush on Beth. If she and Beth actually have sex together, maybe that will fulfill her dream and maybe it will be easier when the inevitable does come. I really think she'll probably settle down with somebody else – maybe a guy – when she's ready."

"So you want you and Tracy and Beth all together?" Carol had said, frowning. "Won't that lead to jealousy?"

"Yes," Sarah had said, "and I have a plan to try to get around it. It will take a lot of luck, but I think maybe Melissa and Ariel will go along, possibly even Mary and Camille."

"An orgy?" Carol sounded horrified.

"No, definitely not," Sarah hurried to say. "I'm going to try to get Melissa and Ariel to lend us a bedroom. Then, two at a time, we'll go into the room with her and demonstrate how we make love. If she joins in, it will be fine. If not, that's fine too. I know you won't go along with it and neither will Roger, but I don't think you'll condemn us either."

"So what should I do?"

"Just be her friend and confidante. She needs that more than anything. You don't know what she's told me about you, but she really respects you. And I think she respects me too and wants to be my lover. And, quite frankly, I want to be hers."

*****

Roger drove up to the Gibson house at the precise time requested. Beth came out in a peasant blouse and long, loose skirt that hid the brace on her knee. With help from Roger and two arm canes, she made her way up to the front door.

Mike and Pat gave their dinner guests a warm welcome. Beth gave Carol a hug, a bright smile on her face. Baby Mikie had eaten and was down for a while, so the group had a fairly nice and quiet meal.

Afterwards, the group – except Stephanie, who went to her room to study – adjourned to the living room. Mike and Pat were curious about what was to transpire later that night, but their questions came in another area.

"Have you heard anything further about what people are saying about you and the steroids?" Mike asked with concern.

Beth shook her head no. "Pardon my saying so, please. But due process is just agony. All that waiting to find out what's going to happen to you, imagining the worst. I know it's designed to protect the innocent, but people start believing everything bad they hear and after a while ... you might as well be guilty."

"There is no prejudging in this house," Pat said briskly. "I have a copy of your statement to the Sheriff's Department investigative team. I've checked it against the evidence of the illegal prescriptions and I've read the statements by the coaches and the other team members. You're clean and I'll treat you as such."

"Me too," Mike said in a firm voice.

Beth smiled through tears. "I don't know much about what they can do to me. It'll be hard for me to even walk again, much less play. I've tried to get hold of the N-C-A-A compliance officer, but it's an ongoing investigation and –"

Mike raised his hand. "I know people who know people. So does my wife. The procedure is going to be that you stay on scholarship for one more year. Then you have to graduate. The rest of the team will continue to play the regular schedule. If there are any changes to the program, they won't take effect until next summer. There are a few ongoing investigations into individual players, but they're convinced there wasn't some big steroid ring going on and most of your teammates are free and clear. Some of them will be given the opportunity to transfer out and play for another program under a hardship case, with an extra year of eligibility to replace the one they sat out."

Pat picked up the thread. "The boosters are going to get it pretty bad for the atmosphere they created. But we think Katherine will be exonerated and maybe even commended for trying to rein them in. There could still be a lot of fallout, and you'll have to live with being a user, but there are programs where you can speak on the dangers of steroid usage and perform a community service. I have connections where you may be able to go on the motivational circuit and work with programs. It may not help your money situation much, but at least you'll be doing something."

Beth bowed her head. "I hope you're right," she said softly.

The talk turned to other subjects, cheerier ones. Neither Pat nor Mike asked about what Beth was doing later that night. For a while, Carol sat on the couch with both Beth and Roger, asking more questions about the college life. The two near-graduation students shared several funny stories about professors, all-night cram sessions, discussion groups and more.

Carol checked her watch and announced it was about time to go out.

"Have a good time, all of you," Mike said as he gave his guests a big handshake. He waggled a finger at Roger to exhort him to bring back his daughter in one piece. Roger smiled and said yes respectfully.

Beth was pensive when she got into the car. "I hope you won't be totally grossed out by this," she said.

"It's not my style," Roger said, "but I was taught to stand up for my friends, and you're not only my friend, you're part of my family. Maybe tonight is the start of a new life for you."

"Maybe," Beth replied.

The house Melissa and Ariel were renting was in a typical college neighborhood. It was a Thursday so there wasn't near the partying of a weekend, but Roger had a hard time parking the car nonetheless, settling for a small space two houses down. Carol, who had ridden in the back seat with Beth, got out and helped her out the door. Beth took a deep breath and swung forward on her canes. Roger and Carol fell in side by side behind her.

The front door of the house was open, but there was a latched screen door. Beth huffed and puffed and made her way up the front stoop. She looked in and saw some young ladies, all dressed in shorts and T-shirts, sitting around the living room. She rang the doorbell and Melissa answered.

Melissa gave Beth a totally unexpected warm hug. She beckoned her in. The plan was for one of the couples to drive Beth home whenever she felt like it. After seeing Beth safely through the door, Carol and Roger walked back to his car and headed back to the Gibson house.

Camille started the conversation. "Beth, Mary and I are just getting used to being lovers. We decided Mary and I would go first, then Melissa and Ariel, and finally Sarah and Tracy. Mary and I want to make love while you watch and then get you ready. Melissa and Ariel want to break you in with toys, and finally Sarah and Tracy want to try going down. We've all agreed that if you don't want to do anything, just say so and we won't do it."

Melissa chimed in. "But I talked to the girls and they all agreed that you have to be courteous. You're not our slave, but you have to say please and thank you and tell us if we're doing a good job. That's how Ariel and I do it, and we think it's a good idea for you."

"Since I was the bitch from Hell?" Beth said sardonically. She sighed. "I really can be nice when I'm not hurting."

"We'll try to make the hurt go away," Sarah chimed in. "But I'm going to need your help." She looked over at Tracy. "Tracy's never gone down on me and I don't know if she ever will. But I think she might lick your pussy. I need mine licked bad, and I don't mind if you're new to it. Just try, that's all I ask."

Ariel spoke up. "We all found we really like mood music and poetry. Tracy's going to read to us when we're in here. She'll read to you in there if you like. I think you will like it a lot."

Beth had a wondering expression on her face. "So when does this start?"

"Do you want it to start now?" Camille said softly. "You look really pretty. We'll give you one kiss and then let's go to the bedroom."

Without waiting for an answer, Camille got up and stood in front of Beth, offering her hand to help Beth stand. Beth grasped the hand, pulled herself to her feet, and said "Thank you." Camille answered, "You're welcome."

Mary came over and stood close to Beth. "May we kiss you, please? Would you like it one at a time or together?"

Beth blushed. "One at a time, I guess." She remembered to say "Thank you" and continued. "I guess I'll start with Camille, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Mary said, and moved back.

Beth bent down, looking at the floor, uncertain as to what the kiss would bring. Camille gently asked her to raise her head. Camille then came at Beth from below, putting her hands behind Beth's neck and pulling her into a kiss. It was a passionate lover's kiss. Camille held it for nearly a half minute.

"Was that bad?" Camille asked as she pulled away.

"No, it wasn't. Thank you." Beth gestured toward Mary. "Could I kiss you and put my arms around your head the way Camille did me? Please? It looks like fun."

"You certainly may, and thank you for asking."

The kiss was longer and more involved this time. Tracy and Sarah also kissed each other with some fervor.

"Enough of this teasing," Camille said. "Let's show our new friend how we learned to make love." She put Beth's right arm around her shoulder and Mary did the same with Beth's left arm. Melissa rose to speak.

"There's a little bathroom just off the bedroom if you need to freshen up in any way. There's a bigger bathroom down the hall and we have snacks in the kitchen."