Chapter 11
Sky ball: If the rally isn’t going well and you can’t attack your third hit, instead of giving your opponent an easy ball, you launch it as high into the air as you can on its way over the net.
Your opponent—now at the mercy of what the sun, wind, and acceleration due to gravity have done to the ball as it falls—will be disoriented and dizzy.
Tía Diana lived with her family—husband and four kids—in an airy ranch-style house in the next town, about forty-five minutes away.
Her sister Nina’s house was just down the street, and anytime Jess had been to Diana’s house, there were at least ten other people there.
Jess had trouble keeping track of which of Tania’s cousins were Diana’s kids and which were Nina’s, or who actually belonged to neither but was just there.
Tania hopped out of George’s old truck carrying a foil-wrapped dish. “Mmm, I can already smell the carne asada.”
Jess followed her onto the sidewalk, stomach growling. Dinner was early at Diana’s, so she had skipped lunch.
George took the dish from Tania and patted his round tummy. “Gonna eat my bodyweight in guac.”
Tania slid her arm around him. “So, the usual?” she teased.
He kissed the top of her head. “We both know Diana would be insulted if I didn’t.”
Tania and George met in college—their orders got mixed up at a bakery, an actual meet-cute—and had been together since. He was just as laid-back as Tania, and Jess envied their easy familiarity, casual touches, and inside jokes.
They went in without knocking and found Diana in the kitchen, hands sticky from the masa.
The room was packed with people either trying to help, or pretending they were helping while stealing samples of food.
The rest were on the deck out back, including most of the kids, eating and chatting over the music.
Diana wiped her hands and gave them hugs and kisses.
“I made those palmiers you liked,” George said, handing over the dish.
“So sweet. Thank you, love.” Diana pecked his cheek again. “And Jessica, look at you,” She gave Jess an extra squeeze. “So beautiful.”
Jess flushed. “Thanks so much for having me. Can I help with anything?”
“No, you three head outside and relax. Find yourself a drink.” She pointed at a tub of bottles on the deck as she pushed Jess through the sliding door, all the while yelling at her son to get his butt in there and help.
They each grabbed a beer and searched for a pocket of space in the crowd.
Jess smiled and nodded and greeted people along the way, confident she knew most of their names, although it was hard to keep the kids straight since they kept getting taller, and, on occasion, new ones appeared.
She cooed appropriately over two of Tania’s newest relatives, holding one for a bit at the insistence of the mother, while she eyed the food table over the baby’s fuzzy head.
Tania noticed Jess’s wandering gaze. “Here, my turn,” she said, holding her hands out for the bundle.
Jess gave her a grateful look and passed the baby over, then made for the carne, with its mouth-watering aroma. As promised, George was already there loading guacamole onto his plate.
Jess had just finished collecting her food when a melodic voice spoke from behind. “Well, hello there, beautiful.”
She turned.
Tania’s cousin Marco grinned up at her from down by her collarbones—eighteen years old, big brown eyes, adorable floppy hair, and all the confidence in the world. He swept a dramatic bow. “Jess, I am, as always, in awe of your radiance.”
Jess bit her lip trying not to laugh. “Still gay, Marco.”
A pack of older cousins nearby burst into guffaws, hurling insults, chips, and empty cups at him in equal measure.
He dodged the detritus as best he could, laughing and swearing in Spanish.
Tania appeared, adding to the insults, and steered Jess away from him. “I’m so sorry. I told him not to bother you.”
“It’s fine. He’s harmless.” Jess half smiled. “I could use some of that confidence myself, actually.”
A strange expression flitted over Tania’s features as she took a drink.
Jess started to ask what that weird face was about but she was nearly barreled over by a pack of squealing children making a beeline for the paletas Nina had just put out. An uncle followed behind the herd, yelling at them to slow down and apologizing to Jess.
“It’s fine,” Jess said, as another kid skimmed her elbow and she nearly dropped her plate.
Tania stiffened. “Ah, fuck, my mom’s here.”
Tania’s mom had appeared on the deck in her pantsuit, fresh from her office.
Jess frowned through a bite of food. “Is that not good?”
“She turned fifty last week, and the hints about grandchildren have reached unforeseen levels. I cannot handle any more of her opinions on my relationship or my childbearing years right now.”
George joined them, with the largest heap of guacamole Jess had ever seen on a single person’s plate.
Tania groaned.
“What?” George scooped another mouthful. “I know you aren’t judging me, the way you attacked those cinnamon buns yesterday.”
Tania sighed. “My mom will probably be able to tell you how avocados affect sperm count. Just ignore her.”
George froze with another loaded chip halfway to this mouth. “She what, now?”
The crowd on the deck dwindled as the evening wound down. Jess took an armful of empty dishes inside and went to use the bathroom.
She was heading back down the hallway when she heard Diana’s voice from the kitchen. “Sorry we couldn’t make it to your game Sunday. How did it go?”
Tania replied. “We lost. Again.”
Something in Tania’s voice made Jess’s feet stumble to a halt.
Diana clucked in disappointment over the clattering of plates going into the dishwasher.
A wry chuckle from Tania. “Yeah, we’re in a rough patch.”
Jess’s breath caught in her throat. But we played so well on Sunday.…
More dishes rattling. “Is something wrong between the two of you?”
“No. No, things with Jess are fine. It’s … She’s needed a lot of pep talking lately, you know? It’s been … kind of tiring.”
Diana hummed. “I’m sure you’ll be able to help her out of whatever she’s going through.”
Tania’s reply was lost as the sliding door opened and Tania’s uncle’s voice joined them in the kitchen, hollering back outside at his kids to come help.
Then, before Jess could move, Tania rounded the corner. She slammed on her brakes when she saw Jess.
They stared at each other, eyes wide.
Before Jess could think about it, a question fell out of her mouth. “Do you blame me for losing?”
Tania’s eyes got even wider. “What? No. Of course I don’t.”
“But, I’ve been … I need pep talks?”
Tania shrugged. “Lately, kind of.”
Jess’s stomach tightened. “Sorry, I didn’t know I was dragging you down.”
She expected Tania to deny the idea immediately, but there was a long, awkward pause before she replied. “You’re not dragging me down, you’ve just been … a bit off.”
Now Jess’s stomach folded itself right into a knot. “I’m doing my best.”
“I know you are, Jess. That’s not what I—” Tania rubbed her forehead. “Can we just forget this? It’s fine, okay? I don’t even know why I said that to Diana. I guess I was just looking for a reason why we can’t fucking buy a win. I don’t blame you.”
“Okay.” Jess felt like she should promise to do better, or something, but she didn’t want to make promises she couldn’t keep. “We really played great on Sunday. Let’s try to build off that.”
Tania gave an unconvincing nod. She looked like she had more to say.
“What?”
Tania scratched her ear. “We play Skye on Friday.”
Jess’s heart jumped. “We do? Already?”
“Yup.” Tania studied her, like she was waiting for a freak-out.
Jess willed her heart to slow down and kept her voice even. “Well, that’s fine. I can play against her.”
Tania had never looked more skeptical. “Great.”
“Great.” Jess cleared her throat. “It’s getting late, we should probably head out soon. Do you know if Diana needs any more help?” She slipped by Tania in the narrow hallway and went to see what she could find to do to keep her hands and mind busy … and absolutely definitely not freak out.
A glitch in the schedule meant Jess and Tania had no games Wednesday or Thursday, but played Friday, Saturday, and Sunday instead.
Jess worked Wednesday, and kept busy Thursday catching up on laundry, cleaning her apartment—no matter how many times she vacuumed, there was always sand—and, of course, making another batch of banana bread, until by dinnertime she was quite frankly having trouble not thinking about having to face Skye on Friday.
“Hey Jess. It was really nice hanging out with you, but…”
“But…”
But you’re boring. But you’re awkward. But you’re not pretty enough. But the three orgasms you gave me were just okay.
She had to get out.… Out of her head, and out of her apartment.
Maggie’s was an easy choice. Live music and a drink or two would help her get out of her head. Jess hadn’t talked to Tania since the awkward car ride home on Tuesday, but she told herself not to be weird and just see if Tania was free.
Hey, you want to meet at Maggie’s for a bit? Jess set her phone on the bathroom counter and put on a touch of makeup while she waited for a reply.
Tania only took a minute to answer. Can’t tonight. George’s sister is over for dinner. But I think Chrissy said a few of them would be there.
Jess tried not to read anything into the decline. Okay. See you tomorrow.
As promised, a bunch of players were at the bar, milling around a few high-top tables near the stage, bobbing their heads to the music—an older woman with a guitar currently singing about her first kiss—and sharing a few baskets of sweet potato fries.
Jess’s eyes immediately found Vivienne—like the central figure in a Renaissance painting, her loose hair tickling her clavicles in soft curves, the other girls gathered around her, bathing in her light. Vivienne and Lee had won again today, of course. Vivienne glowed with confidence.