31. Sabrina
CHAPTER 31
SAbrINA
Every place we’ve been has been glamorous, every spot on the tour fully equipped and up to date. But Wimbledon is in a league of its own. Celebrities stride around the venue, some flanked by security, others not. Wealth permeates the air in the form of cloying rose-scented perfume.
Expensive cars, expensive clothes, expensive bags. This place practically bleeds money. For a girl like me, it’s more than a little jarring. I feel sorely out of place despite the designer label on my dress—courtesy of Noah’s credit card and Ebba’s insistence. I feel like a little kid dressed up for Halloween. Even in a pair of kitten heels, I can’t help but stumble. God, what I’d give to slip into my trusty pair of boots.
“Are you okay?” Maddie asks, applying Chapstick as we make our way to the court.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I lie. I’m determined to at least pretend I have my shit together.
Ebba was right. The longer the tournament goes on, the more elaborate the outfits.
Blessedly, she comes into view twenty feet ahead, where she’s talking to an older woman in a gorgeous fitted blue and green dress.
“Let’s say hi to Ebba.” With any luck, my friend can talk me off the ledge before Maddie and I are set to sit through her dad’s first match. All morning, she was distracted. She struggled to focus on her lessons, too worried about her dad’s state of mind. It’s cute how much she cares about him.
“Hi,” Ebba says as we approach. “Sabrina this is Duchess Loren. Loren, this is my friend Sabrina, and this is Maddie.”
Duchess.
She said duchess .
That’s a royal title, right? I should know this, but at this moment, everything I’ve ever learned has fled my brain.
“Hello, so lovely to meet you.”
Lovely? Where the hell did that come from? I don’t think I’ve greeted someone using that word before.
“Likewise.” She smiles, though she takes me in with a little too much judgment. Or maybe my insecurities are making me see things. She touches Ebba’s arm. “We’ll catch up later.”
As she saunters away, I shrink in on myself. “I’m sorry,” I say. “I didn’t mean to run your friend off.”
With a snort, Ebba waves a hand. “Her? God, I should be thanking you. I can’t stand that bitch. She only talks to me because she wants to fu—cuddle my brother.”
I laugh at her save.
Maddie holds out her hand, palm up. “You said the b-word.”
Sighing, Ebba digs into her purse. She pulls out a twenty-dollar bill and holds it between them. “Don’t tell your dad.”
Maddie smiles gleefully and plucks the bill from my friend’s fingers. She folds it carefully, then tucks it into the little purse she insists on carrying. “I won’t.”
“Your brother isn’t playing against Noah, is he?” All of a sudden, a tidal wave of nerves crashes over me.
“No, not yet. They may compete later in the tournament, but he doesn’t play until later. I thought I’d come a little early and watch Noah’s match with you two.”
“Does this have anything to do with his coach?” I tease, already feeling more at ease now that I’m in her presence. “You two did spend a whole night together recently.”
“Shut up.” Cheeks going pink, she bumps her shoulder into mine. “It’s not that.”
Despite her denial, I can’t help but think I’m onto something.
“Come on, ladies,” she says, spinning on a heel. “Let’s get in there.”
Two hours later, Noah’s third set has just begun. He bends at the hips, swaying slightly and ready to run in either direction when the serve comes his way.
It’s incredible how fast the ball flies, and already, my neck aches from all the left-right ping-ponging I’m doing. Despite the speed at which the neon-green sphere travels, the game can be slow, especially when the players are evenly matched like they are today.
Both men are drenched in sweat. It’s a hot day in London with surprisingly few clouds in the sky.
Beside me, Ebba cools herself with an intricately designed hand fan. With as hot as it is, I’m feeling a tad jealous of the frilly looking thing.
On my other side, Maddie rifles through her baggy of stickers, probably contemplating which one she’ll choose if her dad wins and which one if he loses.
Noah streaks across the court, a white blur on the green lawn.
“Why is this court made of grass?” I keep my voice low so I don’t disturb the players or the people around us.
Ebba turns my way, bringing the breeze from her fan with her. “I’m not sure of the technical answer, but each type of court has its own pros and cons. I guess the variety evens the playing field a bit. Those who play closer to the net usually prefer grass”—she waves at the manicured lawn in front of us—“because the surface is faster.”
“Hmm.” Head tilted, I study the court again. I never would’ve thought the surfaces could have such an impact on play. “Do you know Noah’s favorite?”
She shakes her head. “You’d have to ask him.”
Noah’s opponent wins this set, meaning Noah is in the lead, two to one. With any luck, he will win the next, and the fifth set will be unnecessary.
“Don’t tell him I said this,” I whisper to Ebba as I watch him break a banana in half and take a bite. “But tennis is fun to watch.”
Her lips tip up as she mimes zipping them. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Did you ever play?”
“I always preferred dance,” she says, “but my body couldn’t hold up to it after an accident. Now I follow my brother around the world and get paid to post pictures.” The last part of that statement is coated in a thick layer of sarcasm, as if she’s been insulted for her career in the past.
“What happened? A car accident?”
“Sort of.” She inhales a deep breath and blows it out, her attention turning back to the court where the guys have returned to baseline. “I was out biking with my brother. Hit a rock and went flying over the handlebars and down a hill. I broke my leg and bruised my ribs. Needed stitches on the inside of my lip. I was knocked unconscious and Elias…” She exhales again, her breath a little shaky. “Elias carried me the five miles back to the parking lot and sped to the hospital. I still don’t know how he did it. It could’ve been so much worse, though. Thankfully, I’m here. If the worst thing that came from it was the end of my career, then so be it.”
The words are drenched in sadness.
“It still bothers you, though, doesn’t it?”
She lifts one delicate shoulder. “It was my dream and it was gone in a blink. It’s hard, yeah. And the chronic pain it caused is like adding salt to the wound.”
My heart aches for her as I watch her work to maintain an even expression. I never would’ve guessed she suffers from chronic pain. I’ve never noticed her carrying herself as if it hurts to move, and she always seems so bright and bubbly.
Maybe I should pay more attention. It’s true that many who suffer the worst hide behind smiles, and I want to be there for my newfound friend.
At the thought of friends, it hits me that it’s been too long since I checked in with Lucy. We chatted via FaceTime a week ago, but since then, we’ve only had time to text here and there.
The match quickly becomes a nail-biter, and the entire crowd goes silent. Noah misses out on several match points, but eventually, he clinches the win.
Ebba, Maddie, and I break into applause as the game ends and Noah celebrates on the court.
“Time to head back to the hotel,” I tell Maddie as we make our way through the throng of people. “Unless you want to stop anywhere else while we’re out.”
Noah is having dinner with a sponsor tonight, so he’ll be late, which means we have lots of time to kill.
Maddie shrugs. “Could we go to a museum?”
I stop in my tracks, a smile splitting my face. “You want to go to a museum?”
I love museums. The nerd in me really comes out when I can stroll from one exhibit to the next, reading each placard as I go. Though despite my affinity, I haven’t been to many, and the ones I have had the privilege of visiting wouldn’t be considered more than mediocre. I’ve been dying to visit a few in London but haven’t had much spare time to do so.
“Yeah. I think it could be fun.” She toys with the lanyard around her neck. “What do you think?”
“I think that sounds like an excellent idea.”
While we wait for a taxi, I do a quick Google search, and then we’re off.
“This is so cool,” Maddie says, stopping in front of another display to read the plaque.
“It really is.”
Sure, I have mixed feelings when it comes to the numerous artifacts that have been stolen from their rightful countries throughout history, but I can’t deny how awe-inspiring it is to see many significant pieces in person.
We wander from one exhibit to the next for several hours, then stop for dinner before heading back to the hotel. After showering and changing into our pajamas, I start a movie for Maddie in her room and go across to mine, leaving the door cracked between us, and pull out my laptop to video chat with Lucy.
“Hey,” she answers as she settles on her couch. “How are things going? Tell Noah congratulations on winning his first match.”
“I will. How’s my future niece or nephew?” Lucy and Alyssa are team green and waiting until delivery to find out the baby’s sex.
“Growing like a weed.” Lucy leans forward and sets the laptop on the coffee table so I can see her belly. It hasn’t been that long since we did a video chat, but she’s definitely grown. By the time I return to the states in August, she’ll be creeping close to her due date. With any luck, I can make a special trip to visit while Noah is competing in the Cincinnati Open or the US Open in New York.
“How are you feeling?”
“Pretty good.” She rubs at her sternum. “Heartburn sucks, though.”
Maddie shuffles over to me from the other room, teddy bear gripped under her arm. “Are you talking to your friends?”
“Yes,” I laugh lightly. “Do you want to say hi?”
“Sure.” She bounces onto the bed beside me, smile in place. This girl has never met a stranger. I turn my computer her direction and she waves. “Hi, I’m Maddie.”
“I’m Lucy. I like your teddy bear.”
“Thanks.” She holds it even tighter. “My mom gave it to me.”
She squeezes the paw, and a feminine voice says, “Mommy loves you, Maddie Girl,” followed by a kissy sound.
Tears instantly sting my eyes. I had no idea her bear did that. No wonder she loves that thing so much.
“Wow, that’s so cool,” Lucy says to her. “I’ll have to get one for my baby.”
“You should.” Maddie leans against me for a better look. “How did you become friends with Sabrina?”
Lucy and I exchange smiles, amused by Maddie’s ability to take over our chat so easily.
“We met in middle school, but we didn’t really become friends until high school. Now, we’re inseparable.”
“Are you a teacher like her?”
“No.” My best friend shakes her head. “I’m a personal shopper.” When Maddie frowns in confusion, she goes on. “That means I go shopping so other people don’t have to.”
Jaw dropping, Maddie says, “That’s a real job?”
“Mhm.” Amusement shines in Lucy’s eyes.
My little sidekick drops her head back and elbows me. “I want to be a personal shopper when I grow up.”
After about fifteen minutes, we say goodbye to Lucy, and I put my laptop away.
“Can I stay here with you?” Maddie asks, already burrowing her way under my covers. “I don’t want to sleep by myself.”
When she gives me those sad puppy dog eyes, I’m a goner.
“Of course.” I press a kiss to her head, then reach for the remote and cue up the movie she started in her room.
When I bring her blanket and pillow in, she smiles and holds out her hands for them.
“Thank you.”
At eight, many kids have probably moved on from their desire for comfort items like teddy bears and blankets, but Maddie has spent most of her life traveling. Throw in the death of her mother, and she deserves to have whatever makes her feel good.
I settle into bed next to her and turn off the lamp. Once I’m settled, she scoots over and curls into me.
“I love you, Sabrina.”
Though my lungs seize, my heart accelerates to impossible speeds. Very few people have ever told me they love me, and not a single instance has felt as important as this one.
I swallow past the lump in my throat and kiss the top of her head. “I love you too.”
Sometime later, after we’re both asleep, I hear Noah come in. His big, warm body settles behind me, and he presses his lips to my neck as he brushes a thumb over Maddie’s cheek.
“My girls,” he whispers.
At a loss for how to process the emotions warring inside me, I pretend I’m still sleeping.
And when I wake in the morning, he’s already gone.