Chapter 32
Maggie
May - French Open
Breathe in. Breathe out. My eyes are closed and my head is resting against the locker.
I’m ready to win this. I have to win this.
Even though my relationship with my dad has improved exponentially in the last three weeks as he’s filled in more of the gaps from the past and told me about his therapy sessions and the woman he’s met this past year, I still feel like I have something to prove.
I need to win this now that he’ll be in the stands, not just for him, but for myself.
Noise from across the room brings me out of my headspace. Elena is rapidly tapping her foot against the locker room floor and refreshing her phone screen every five seconds.
“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice reverberating in the empty room.
Her steely gray eyes pin me to the bench and I raise my eyebrows at her. She seems distracted. “Since when do we chit-chat before a match?” she asks, nothing friendly about her demeanor.
I can’t figure her out sometimes. She goes from hot to cold so quickly, it gives me whiplash. “You seem stressed, that’s all,” I muse.
“Are you trying to mess with my head?” she asks, standing up to pace.
“What? No. I want to make sure you’re okay,” I say, standing up and stretching.
“Why?” she asks bluntly.
I laugh. “Because we’re friends,” I say, smiling at her. “Whether you like it or not.”
“We’re not friends,” she growls. “You’re my competition.”
“Okay, we’re friendly,” I counter. “And sure, right now we’re competing, but that won’t always be the case.”
“I’m not interested in making friends,” she says. “They all end up ghosting me anyway,” she adds, throwing her phone in her locker and grabbing her equipment. She freezes for a moment, surprised that she let that small vulnerability slip out.
I grab my bag and take a step towards her. “Is this about Jacob?”
Her shoulders drop and she gives me a worried look. “What if he doesn’t come back from this?”
I ponder that question for a long moment.
“Jacob is going through a rough time right now and I wouldn’t take anything he says or doesn’t say personally.
If he doesn’t come back from this, then he’ll need his supportive friends by his side.
” I give her a meaningful look and wonder whether the two of them are just friends or if there’s more between them.
From the way his injury is affecting her, my guess is there are some lingering feelings there that neither of them have explored.
“I’m not exactly…nurturing,” she mumbles as we both walk out of the locker room and make our way to the court.
“You don’t have to be. Sometimes you just need to show up and be by their side,” I say.
“Is that what you’re doing for Rowan? Showing up for him?” she asks, her cold gaze assessing me and cutting deeper than she knows.
I swallow and plaster on a smile. “I have to do something braver than that, I just need to kick your ass first.” With a wink and a smack on her ass with my racquet, I make my way to my side of the court.
Maybe I shouldn’t have encouraged Elena in the locker room, because she’s been on fire, wearing me out and winning the first set.
I take a bite of banana and gulp down some water as I look around the arena.
I spot my dad right away. He’s wearing white, just like me, and he’s holding up a sign with my face on it.
When he sees me watching, he lifts it up and waves it around.
A blush warms my cheeks and I roll my eyes, even though deep down I’m filled with relief. He’s embarrassing me in front of the whole world, but for the first time in my life, he’s trying, and I can’t fault him for that. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.
I knew Andreea couldn’t make it since she’s too pregnant to fly, so when my dad offered, I was hesitant. But now that he’s here, looking proud and supportive, I’m glad we reconnected.
The arena is packed to the brim, but that doesn’t stop me from glancing at every section in the hope that I’ll see Rowan. Did he give up on me?
I reign in my worry and try to focus on the second set.
Both Elena and I play strategically on the clay courts and the set stretches longer than we want it to.
I eventually manage to hit an ace and win the set, but I’m exhausted.
The clear skies have turned to dark clouds and my wrist twinges in pain, which always happens when it’s about to rain.
Scanning the crowds again, I hope for a glimpse of Rowan, but I still can’t spot him anywhere.
Dad catches me looking and frowns. He knows I’m distracted.
My shoulders droop and I take a deep breath.
I keep telling myself that I need to win, but one question keeps nagging me.
Why? For my dad? For myself? What’s the point of winning if I don’t have the one person I want to share that victory with?
I take my spot behind the baseline and bounce the ball twice, getting ready to serve for the last set.
The dark cloud above me erupts at the exact moment my racquet makes contact with the ball and the rain starts to pour.
Gameplay is immediately stopped and the court staff rushes to cover the court while the retractable roof is activated.
We run off the courts and wait for more information about the match.
I wipe the rain from my face with my wet forearm and look over at Elena.
She looks pale and miserable as she watches the staff uncover the court now that the roof is up.
The clay got a decent amount of rain and I groan.
I don’t want to play on an even slower surface.
“This sucks,” I mumble and she blows a breath.
“Yes, it does.”
Someone lets us know that the game will be delayed by an hour so the court can dry out, and we’re ushered back towards the locker room. A few reporters are waiting nearby, asking for a word. Elena ignores them and storms into the locker room, but I stop with my hand on the door handle.
“How do you feel about the delay?” a reporter asks.
“Do you think you’ll win the championship?” another pipes up.
“Your father was seen in the crowd, is this the first time he’s attended one of your matches?” someone says and I roll my eyes. They already know that’s the case.
“Rowan Amory was missing from the crowd, are the rumors about your break-up true?” another reporter asks and I take a deep inhale, heading their way.
“I don’t love the rain, that’s for sure,” I say, smiling. “But if there’s anything I like, it’s a challenge. I’m sure I can prevail during the third set. And yes, my father is in attendance today. I’m very happy he could make the trip to support me.”
“What about Rowan?”
“Rowan is the type of person who’s there for his friends and right now, Jacob needs him more than I do,” I say, shivering.
Even though the cold rain seeped into my skin and I’m dying to go take a hot shower, I push through and say what I should have said a long time ago.
“That’s one of the many reasons I fell in love with Rowan.
He’s always been there for me, loving me unconditionally, even when I didn’t know what I wanted or needed. ”
“So the two of you are together?” the reporter asks and I smile.
“It’s…more complicated than that. Rowan’s my best friend and the only person I’ve ever loved. And if he’ll have me, I’d like to be his for the rest of my life,” I say, blinking back tears.
The reporters ask more questions, but a towel wraps around my shoulders and I look over to see my dad’s stern face glowering at them. “That’s enough.”
My shoulders straighten and I keep my chin high as we walk away from the reporters. “Thank you, Dad.”
“You just focus on your game, I’ll track down Amory and drag him here if I need to,” he says.
I laugh. “There’s no need. I’ll be okay, Dad. I promise.”