Page 27 of Remember Me

Aster

I checked my watch for the fifth time in as many minutes, mentally ticking through the extensive checklist I'd created for today's mascot meet and greet. Setting up an event with all four of Charlotte's major sports mascots in one place was like herding extremely enthusiastic, oversized wild animals, and doing it at the Super Bowl only amplified the stress.

“Clutch, can you please stay on your mark?” I called out, watching as Ryan, who was dressed in the Crossbills’ bright red bird mascot deliberately moonwalk away from his designated spot in the stadium's fan experience zone. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could tell he was smiling beneath the giant beak. “The kids will be here any minute, and if you’re all bunched together, some of them might not get to meet you.”

Clutch gave me an exaggerated salute before spinning dramatically back to his position. I couldn't help but smile because Ryan was especially energetic today, knowing his team would be on the field in just a few hours.

I glanced around the large fan zone we'd transformed for the event. Each mascot had their own station decorated in team colors, carefully designed based on the developmental research I'd been immersed in during my master's program. The layout wasn't random – I'd deliberately structured the space to create what my professors called “optimal engagement zones” for different age groups.

Clutch's area featured the Crossbills' red and white, with football-themed games specifically selected to promote gross motor skills in the 5-7 age bracket. Next to him, Catty from the Carolina Catfish posed beside a blue backdrop with baseball equipment, surrounded by activities that encouraged hand-eye coordination. The enormous blue catfish with his oversized whiskers was positioned near a small wading pool filled with plastic baseballs – a sensory activity for the younger children that my thesis had demonstrated improved focus and engagement.

Duke Dribbleton, the basketball mascot, was practicing trick shots with a small foam hoop in a space designed for cooperative play – another key element from my research on social development. And Chilly the Chinchilla lounged against a mock hockey goal, cool as ever in his silver and blue outfit, in a quieter zone I'd created for children who might feel overwhelmed by the stimulation elsewhere.

“Ms. Paige?” A stadium coordinator approached me. “The first group of VIP families will be arriving in about five minutes.”

“Perfect, thank you.” I gave her a reassuring smile. “Could you make sure the photo stations are fully staffed? And double-check that we have enough team swag bags ready?”

As she hurried off, I heard an excited voice call out from behind me.

“Please tell me that's a sensory pool with those baseballs! Genius move!”

I turned to find a strikingly beautiful blonde woman with bright blue eyes and an even brighter blue Catfish cap on. She was wearing torn jeans, Converse sneakers, and a Carolina Catfish hoodie that was at least two sizes too big for her frame.

“You must be Aster,” she said, bouncing slightly on her toes as she extended her hand. “I'm Cali Sorenson, Fan Engagement Manager for the Catfish. And can I just say, this setup is epic!”

I shook her hand, immediately sensing an energy that matched the vibrant atmosphere we were trying to create. “It's wonderful to finally meet you in person. I've heard amazing things about your program initiatives.”

“Please, it's all just fancy words for 'let's make sports super fun for the tiniest humans,'“ she said with a laugh, spinning in a circle to take in the whole setup. “But seriously, this layout is awesome! The way you've got each zone set up—it's like you've got a direct line to kid brains.”

“It's actually based on my master's research in childhood development,” I explained, warmed by her enthusiasm. “I studied how characters from Evermore movies and mascots can serve as transitional objects in unfamiliar environments.”

“Wait a minute, are you telling me you did a whole master's degree on mascots?” Cali's eyes widened with delight. “I think I may have found someone more obsessed with mascots than me,” she barked out a laugh and I wasn’t sure if she was laughing at me, or with me. “Honestly, that’s the coolest thing I've ever heard! I've been trying to tell our analytics team that mascots are psychological geniuses, not just oversized plushies!” She mimed an explosion from her head. “Mind blown!”

With. Definitely with me.

I laughed, feeling instantly at ease with her. “Most of my professors thought I was crazy, but the research actually showed that children engage more deeply when their developmental needs are considered in the environment design.”

“Hence the quiet zone for Chilly,” Cali nodded, suddenly serious despite her playful demeanor. “I noticed that right away. My nephew's on the spectrum and he'd appreciate that so much.” Then, just as quickly, her energy bounced back. “My twins are going to lose their minds when they see all this! They're already obsessed with Catty.”

“You have twins?” I asked, thinking immediately of Georgia and Delaney.

“Yep! Four-year-old girls with the energy of nuclear reactors,” she said, pulling out her phone to show me a photo of two identical girls making silly faces with Catty at what looked like a baseball game. “They're in the family zone right now, probably terrorizing my brother who’s watching them. I should probably rescue the poor soul and bring them here before everyone else arrives.”

“That's a great idea,” I said, genuinely enjoying her presence. “Twins have such a unique bond. I actually did a small case study on twin interaction patterns for one of my developmental psychology courses.”

“Do you have twins too?” she asked, tucking her phone back in her pocket.

I shook my head. “No, but my good friend has twins. And triplets, actually.”

Cali's jaw dropped. “Twinsandtriplets? Holy catfish!” She slapped a hand over her heart dramatically. “God bless that woman! I can barely keep my two from turning my house into a disaster zone. Five kids? She must be secretly superhuman.”

“She's amazing,” I agreed, thinking of how effortlessly Reign seemed to manage her chaotic household. “It's pretty incredible to watch.”

Cali hopped up to sit on a nearby table, swinging her legs. “You know what would be incredible to watch? All the Carolina mascots doing a TikTok dance battle! Can you imagine?” She gestured wildly toward the mascots. “Catty's already got some moves, but I bet Clutch could bring it. Social media would explode!”

I laughed at the mental image. “That would definitely get some attention.”

“Beyond attention,” she said, eyes sparkling with ideas. “Which actually makes me think—we should do more joint Charlotte fundraisers like this. Combine forces, take over the world, one cute kid interaction at a time!”

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