And then Daphne arrived and she had “Varsity” written all over her. I was so happy for John. Watching him play that first game of HORSE with Daphne in the driveway was a moment that was filled with tenderness. She not only had his physical grace and keen eye, she had his competitive spirit as well. It was as though he were at last being validated, as though everything he knew about himself was being reflected back to him in the best possible way. I would stand at the kitchen sink, sudsing a roasting pan, and I’d hear the thump of the basketball against the pavement and the squealing of sneaker soles as one them broke for the basket.

            It was one the most rewarding sounds I’d ever heard.

            But if there was a negative aspect to John and Daphne bonding over “hoops,” it was watching Bay adjust to it.