Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
SAM
Paris, France – May
My group chat with my sisters erupted in notifications within five minutes of us arriving in Paris, and my phone finally having a consistent connection, in the car to the hotel that we would call home for however long I lasted at Roland Garros.
As expected, they were talking about my newly announced tennis partnership.
Hannah and Charlie were born eleven months apart when my parents were young and in love. They were the dream kids. Then, seven years after Charlie was born, I surprised my still young but not so much in love parents, and within six months, my dad found himself a single dad of three.
Hannah:
How did you wrangle this??
Naomi Sullivan!!!
Dude
Charlie:
When did you even have the time to ask her? And how did you know she was coming out of retirement?
Hannah:
He probably slid into her DMs to apologise for ruining a perfectly good white outfit. And did she actually retire?
Charlie:
I guess not officially, but you read her sister’s post, it sounded like she basically had
Hannah:
And what, Sammy Boy changed her mind? Does the person in question want to weigh in?
I was under the Channel
She messaged me first. I suggested it yesterday when I saw her and she was already thinking about coming back. So no, I didn’t change her mind. Any other questions?
Hannah:
Yeah, what do you mean you saw her yesterday?
I had an emergency physio appointment with her
Charlie:
Sixteen year old Sam would not believe that this is a conversation we’re having
Present day me doesn’t quite believe that she agreed to it either. But she did
Hannah:
How does Dad feel about it?
My sisters were there for everything and probably sacrificed more than I’d ever know, and so despite being close to them, I kept some cards about the reality of life on the road with our dad close to my chest. I was an adult, and they were well into their twenties when I started playing professionally, but there was always a part of me that was very aware that I got to spend months on end with our only parent.
And though they were both adults when I turned pro, so he’d been there for all their childhoods, I still monopolised a lot of his time.
They had no real idea how much I was feeling stifled and, at times, suffocated by Dad’s coaching these days.
They didn’t know that most of the joy I used to get out of playing the sport I loved was non-existent, and our dad was a lot of the reason why.
To them, there was no reason for Dad not to love the idea, and I couldn’t exactly tell them that, as of right now, he didn’t even know it was happening.
You know him
It was maybe too vague an answer, but it was the only one I had.
“What is this?” The man in question’s voice dragged me away from my phone so I could look at his, the screen open on an article with the headline: SAM REED DRAGS NAOMI SULLIVAN OUT OF THE DARK. AGAIN.
“A shitty headline,” I answered, because honestly, how was Naomi’s return to tennis about me at all?
“It says that the two of you are going to play together. Didn’t I tell you no?”
I crossed my arms. “You did. I took it under advisement and decided to do it anyway.”
“We don’t have the time for you to add it to your schedule. Your body can’t take the extra load.”
“I’ll find the time. And I can decide what my body can and can’t take. Plus, she’ll be in the same boat, so we can make decisions together.”
“Sam, this part of the season is crucial for us. We can’t afford any distractions, and this will be a big one.”
“Players have been playing both singles and doubles without a problem for years, Dad. I don’t think it will be.”
“You aren’t most players. You need to be focused.”
“And I am. I will be. Nothing changes, except sometimes I’ll play with one of the greats.
If anything, it will probably be a great learning experience.
Is that not what I’m supposed to be doing?
Learning? Improving? Who better to do that with than Naomi?
I’m excited about this, Dad. Don’t take it away from me. ”
His mouth opened and closed. I could see it in his eyes, so similar to mine, that he wanted to argue further. But it seemed to dawn on him that I wasn’t budging on this.
The rest of the car ride was silent.