She doesn't blink, leaning toward the flying white ropes that can leave a quick welt if she's not careful. It's getting late and Grace is past tired. The ropes seem almost soft now as they wipe against the cooling dark sky one at a time, then snap the ground, as steady as Grace's breathing and the buzz of crickets, somewhere, everywhere, invisible with their hearts rattling in their throats. Closing her eyes, she jumps in, around and between the ropes now, rising rising snapping her fingers as Rhonda and Sookie turn medium fast and count off Grace's easy numbers five ten fifteen twenty twentyfivethir tyfive fortyfivefif tyfive si Grace looks down at the hanging shoelace that must have stopped her. You did good.
Grace turns and there is Tish alone, under the fat tree down near the corner.
She's on her knees with an empty jelly jar at her side. Sometimes Tish asks to play, but Tish still turns doublehanded. If enough girls are jumping, Grace will help her, stand behind her, guide her syrup slow skinny arms until she is turning good enough for no complaints. Tish is better at jumping, she doesn't have to stand inside the ropes to start, like Sookie's little sister. Tish jumps in with her eyes open and can hot tamale and touch the ground.