Criss Cross

Chapter 111

Jannie and I had coaches coming up to us the rest of the day with offers of campus visits and mentions of scholarships. We were grateful to listen to each and every one of them, including the coach at the University of Oregon, who reminded us that he had been the first to show an interest in her when she was a freshman.

As he walked away, she said, “I don’t know what to do.”

Coach McDonald, who was also there, smiled. “Luckily, you don’t have to make any decisions today or anytime soon.”

“Thank you for flying out, Coach Mac,” she said, hugging him. “It helped.”

“Thank you for giving me the gift of watching you soar today. And we’ll talk Tuesday?”

Jannie’s eyes watered as she nodded. “Tuesday.”

He walked off.

“Can we get something to eat?” she said. “I’m starving.”

“Dr. Cross? Jannie?”

We turned to find Coach Wilson of the University of Texas walking toward us in the tunnel that led to the locker rooms. She was the only coach who had not yet approached us that day.

“The unicorn is back,” she said. She smiled and shook Jannie’s hand and mine.

Then Coach Wilson looked at me. “Jannie is a unicorn. In more ways than one. That was a very impressive win in the four-hundred today.”

“Better than the other three events,” Jannie said.

“No, that’s where you’re wrong. You didn’t win or even place in those individual field events, but you were competitive in all of them. That’s the mark of a great all-around athlete, which is what I am looking for.”

Wilson paused. “But I can’t tell you to give up the four-hundred, where you are clearly exceptional Division One talent, to chase the idea of the heptathlon, an unknown but one in which I believe you have the potential to be a world-class talent.”

Jannie puffed up her cheeks and blew out air. “I don’t know, Coach.”

“And you don’t have to,” Coach Wilson said. “But whatever path you decide to take, know that you have a full scholarship offer at the University of Texas. And may I remind you that Coach McDonald lives in town?”

Jannie smiled. “I know.”

“You’re lucky to have him on your side.”

“Yes, ma’am. I am.”

Wilson said she’d be in touch and left. Jannie wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

“You okay?”

Jannie smiled through tears. “Of course I’m okay. It’s just, how many seventeen-year-olds get to live their dreams like this?”

“Every seventeen-year-old girl who lives in my house,” I said, and I hugged her. “I can’t tell you how much—”

“Dad!” Ali yelled, running at us from the stands.

I held up a hand and looked at Jannie. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of—”

“Dad!” Ali said.

“Ali,” I said sharply. “I am trying to tell your sister how—”

I stopped in midsentence, seeing the phone he held out in front of him and the petrified look on his face.

“It’s him, Dad,” he said. “Wickr, but I took a screenshot of it.” I took the phone, read it, and knew the M game was not over.

You are quite the little escape artist, Ali. And Jannie, the stellar track champion! Say hi to your father for me. Tell him that from where I sat, his daughter clearly ran with heart.