If You Come Softly

Jeremiah is at his dad’s home thinking about kissing Ellie. Even though his dad has people over and asks Jeremiah to come out and say hello to them, he doesn’t want to. He eventually does, but then heads back to his room where he remembers the kiss with Ellie. He wants to tell someone how “strange and perfect it all was” (118). He can hear kids playing outside. He thinks back to how basketball has been a part of his life and how it feels to be at one with the basketball. Jeremiah remembers what it feels like to handle the ball, to feel it “leave his hands” and “sail into the basket” (119). He remembers helping one of the neighborhood kids, “Little Ray from down the block,” learn how to do this and what it felt like to pass that feeling on to someone else (119).

Marion tells Ellie that Anne has called for her, and that she’s heard about Anne’s ceremony as well as Ellie’s boy. Marion wants Ellie to talk to her about things and assures Ellie that they can “be close” (122). Ellie thinks it’s too late for their relationship, but she doesn’t know how to tell Marion.