Chapter 8 #3
She’d gone over to congratulate some of her competitors.
The photographer had captured the moment Ember had hugged Wang Wei, the Chinese athlete who’d gotten the bronze medal.
They’d been joined by Chloe Esposito from Australia and Mariana Arceo from Mexico.
They weren’t rivals at that moment. They were simply women supporting women.
She clicked on the picture and uploaded it to her Instagram account. She’d had to do several internet searches to figure out how to use the platform, but she was fairly confident she had the hang of it. Taking her time, Ember posted a long, heartfelt note to her followers.
I know many of you may have wondered where I’ve disappeared to over the last week and what I’ve been doing. I’ve been reflecting on my life and things I’ve done.
To those of you who’ve been supportive of me over the years, thank you.
I know my performance at the Olympics was disappointing; it was to me as well.
But I learned a lot about myself. I learned that there’s more to life than winning.
Would I have liked to cross the finish line first, to have worn the gold medal around my neck?
Of course. But coming in fifteenth place in the Olympics isn’t exactly something to be ashamed of.
What most of you don’t know is that I dislocated my shoulder the night before the second day of competition.
Is that an excuse? No. It simply explains why my swimming time was so off.
But I didn’t quit. I didn’t throw a tantrum and say “life’s unfair” and demand a do-over.
I did the best I could at the time. And I’m proud of where I ended up.
I love the picture accompanying this post. It’s beautiful.
Four women who come from different backgrounds and different countries.
Four women who speak three different languages coming together in solidarity.
Four women supporting and loving each other.
It’s what I want for the world…to stop thinking about the color of someone’s skin, or what country they’re from, or how much money they have or don’t have, or what God they believe in.
None of that makes us more or less valuable as human beings.
With that in mind, I’ll be making some changes in my life…
and in this profile. You’ll see fewer pictures of me.
Less hawking of beauty products. I want to share more of what’s important.
I want to make a difference. Be someone who stands up for what’s right and who doesn’t sit back and say “there’s nothing I can do about it” when shit happens.
More standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
I’ve officially retired from competing in the modern pentathlon. But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving it behind. I want to help others find the joy in pushing their body to its limits. Give kids who might never otherwise have a chance to fence, swim, ride horses, run, and shoot.
I hope you’ll stay with me. Follow along in my new life as I do what I can to make this world a better place. Thank you all for your support. It’s meant everything to me. Love, Ember Maxwell.
#makeaadifference #modernpentathlon #diversity #loveoneanother #differencemaker #embermaxwell #lovenothate #respect #blacklove #asianlove #womenlove #hispaniclove #pride #loveislove #findthemissing #newbeginnings
Ember sat back and stared at the post. Her heart was beating fast in her chest. She wasn’t sure she’d explained herself very well.
Samer, Harris, Alexis, or Betty could probably create a post that was much more eloquent, but what she’d written came from her heart.
She also knew hashtags were important, but she had no idea if the ones she’d chosen were right.
She couldn’t think any more about what she’d written. Before she chickened out, Ember hit the publish button. In an instant, her words and picture were posted on her Facebook account, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram, all at the same time.
Almost immediately, comments began appearing.
I love you, Ember
You’ve got a fan for life!
I’ll be here to help how I can
Love this!
You go girl!
But along with the positive comments, there were negative ones.
You’re a loser and trying to make excuses.
I don’t want to hear about your do-gooding!
White power!
Fuck you!
Closing her laptop, Ember put it aside and lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She would never understand how people could be so…cruel. How did they get that way? She had no idea how they made it through life with so much rage inside them.
But from this point on, Ember was going to do her best to concentrate on the positives in her life. On those people who were kind and who genuinely wanted to do something good for others. She knew she’d stumble along the way, but her heart was in the right place.
Thinking about her heart made her thoughts turn to Craig.
Was she crazy for considering moving to Texas?
Probably…but she didn’t care. Talking to him was the highlight of her day. He liked her exactly how she was. She wanted that. Needed it. Needed someone who didn’t see Ember Maxwell, but saw her. Em.
She wasn’t sure if she should tell him she was on her way.
That she’d already started making arrangements.
On one hand, if he didn’t want her there, it would be better to find out before she’d driven all the way to Texas.
But she was ninety-nine percent sure that he’d be surprised in a good way.
If not…she’d eventually find somewhere else to settle.
Nothing was going to stop her from making a new life for herself.
Even after everything that had happened earlier that day, Ember was happy.
And excited about her future for the first time in a very long time.
She had a lot of work to do. She needed to research missing people, see if she could make some connections…
She’d met Ed Smart once. She’d reach out to him and see if he could help her.
He’d been a tireless advocate for missing people after his daughter had been kidnapped and subsequently found alive.
She needed to find a place to live in Texas and to get her belongings packed and moved. She needed a real estate agent…should also talk to her attorney. She wanted to contact her financial advisor and make sure her parents were taken care of, their assets protected.
Smiling, she got up and headed to the desk in the hotel room and pulled the complimentary pad of paper and pen toward her.
She uncapped the pen and began to make a list of everything she could think of that she needed to do.
It got longer and longer, but with each item added, Ember’s smile grew.
As scary as this was, it was also exciting.
Alex glared at the phone, rereading Ember Maxwell’s latest post.
Bitch!
She was turning her back on everyone who had made her who she was.
She wanted to be a do-gooder? Barf!
Ember had hinted that she was going to be leaving California—another slap in the face.
But Alex still had every intention of making the bitch pay for letting everyone down. There was nowhere Ember could hide.
Alex had fully planned to ride Ember’s coattails.
Victory had been so close this year! With Ember as a training partner, Alex knew the Olympics were just around the corner.
The plan was to get even closer…to become Ember’s best friend.
Hoping some of her fame and fortune—not to mention her athletic ability—would rub off.
And now she’d ruined everything!
Helping kids? Fuck that!
Missing people? They didn’t even matter! Were probably dead anyway.
And Alex didn’t give two shits about race. It was more important to use whoever it took to get to the top, regardless of color. Anyone who could help was fair game, exploited until they were no longer any use.
And any advantages to getting closer to Ember were definitely over.
But Alex couldn’t just forget about her and move on. There was no one to move on to. Not yet. Ember had been at the top. The ticket to a better life. Money and fame. And she’d thrown all of it away as if it meant nothing. As if Alex meant nothing.
Fuck that shit.
Ember would rue the day she’d turned her back on the world…and on Alex.