Chapter 10
Keira
The early evening breeze had a slight chill to it, indicating autumn had arrived.
Blizzards players in a mixture of comfy lounge wear and team tracksuits slung their bags into the underbelly of the sleek hired coach that would take them to their away game in Durham.
Keira stood apart from the others, phone pressed to her ear.
“Did I give you all his medication?” Keira asked quietly.
“Yes, and you checked it three times when you dropped him off.” Uncle Frank’s tone was patient.
A couple of Blizzards players walked past, and Keira stepped further away from the congregation of her teammates near the bus doors.
She rubbed her forehead with her thumb and fingertips, trying to smooth the furrows in her brow.
“And you know he needs the house to be warm because — ”
“Keira, I’m Jeff’s big brother. I’ve been looking after him all his life,” he said kindly. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”
She sighed and tried to believe that. She had to believe that to be able to attend away games. Amelia sent her an inquisitive glance from the car park. Keira gave her an apologetic half-smile and turned away.
“Sorry, I just worry.”
“I know, sweetheart, and I’m saying you don’t have to.”
“What would we do without you, Uncle Frank?”
“Probably have a lot less puzzle books cluttering up your house.” He laughed. “I hope the game goes well.”
“Thank you. Love you, bye.”
“Love you, too, bye bye.”
Keira ended the call, and closed her eyes, pressing the corner of the phone to her forehead.
The pool of unease in her stomach was making her queasy.
She took a deep breath and set her shoulders, then headed back to the team bus and climbed the steps.
The warm, stuffy air had an undercurrent of excitement for their first away game of the season.
Keira prayed the air conditioning worked as she navigated down the narrow aisle, seeking solitude near the back of the bus.
She dropped into a cool leather window seat and put her smaller travel bag on the seat next to her to deter any company.
The bus rocked slightly as more people got on board.
Keira resolutely stared out the window, but when Amelia sat down in the pair of seats across the aisle from her, she couldn’t help but glance in her direction.
“Everything alright?” Amelia asked, turning in her seat. Back to the window, she put her feet up on the aisle seat next to her. She wore the full Blizzards tracksuit, the club logo emblazoned across her chest. It suited her. Keira had to drag her eyes upward.
“Yeah, all good.” Keira gave her a smile.
“That seemed like quite an intense conversation you were having.” Amelia tilted her head to the side.
“Just…” Keira looked around out of habit “…checking in on my dad. He’s staying with my uncle. I wanted to make sure they were all sorted.”
Amelia smiled. “You’re such a good daughter.”
“Pfft, I don’t know about that. I’m just doing what anyone would do for family, right?”
Keira saw a dark cloud flash behind Amelia’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant.
Keira wanted to ask, but reminded herself it wasn’t her place.
Flirting at the team social was one thing, but she knew it would be different if they got too close on an emotional level.
It would become harder to resist the gravitational pull trying to drag Keira out of orbit and into Amelia. Keeping things professional was safer.
Out of nowhere, music started playing, and it only got louder as the rest of the team boarded the bus. Keira peered over the seat.
Lucy was up front, a giant speaker on her shoulder, awkwardly dancing along to the loud music as she navigated down the small aisle. The bus engine also rumbled to life.
“Really, Adams?” Amelia shouted above the din, but she was smiling and shaking her head as she grabbed the headrest in front of her and pulled herself to standing. Several members of the team joined in Lucy’s valiant but not quite on-key attempts at singing.
“First away game of the season! Gotta set the tempo!” Lucy replied in the break between the chorus and the verse. She sauntered further down the aisle, encouraging more players to join in.
“The game isn’t until tomorrow.” Amelia sighed and sat back down.
Keira chuckled. She was grateful Lucy decided to sit several rows in front of her. She wasn’t sure she would tolerate that amount of energy for long.
“She’ll probably be asleep by the services,” Amelia said with a sigh. Keira wasn’t sure if she was trying to reassure Keira or herself.
Keira followed the rest of the team into the hotel lobby, stretching her sore neck from side to side. Lucy had thankfully fallen asleep before they made it as far as Birmingham, and Keira had followed suit around Sheffield.
“Right, remember you lot, dump your bags then get out here. We’re ordering pizza.”
“Are you paying again, Coach?” Lucy asked.
“Not a chance. And don’t wander off, Adams,” Coach Grant said, sounding exasperated. Lucy was already halfway towards one of the shops that had something glittery in the window.
“Honestly, it’s like corralling children.”
“I am your child, Mum,” Evie added, laughing.
“And I’m Coach Grant to you, at least until after pizza. C’mon, help me get everyone checked in.”
Keira looked around the large glass atrium while fiddling with the straps of her bag. She glanced again at the front desk, then got her phone out of her pocket and gave her dad a call.
“Hey, just checking in,” Keira said when he finally answered. She heard her aunt and uncle laughing at something in the background. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“We all placed bets on how long it would be before you checked up on me again.” He said, still chuckling. “I won.”
Keira blushed and turned away from the rest of the group, though her heart filled with warmth at the good-natured needling.
“You know, most people would be grateful to have such a dutiful daughter.”
“I am, I am,” her father said, containing laughter. “How was the journey up?”
“It was fine, Dad.” She paced. Their group moved as Coach Grant handed out keys. “Look, I’ve gotta go, but call me if you need anything, okay?”
“Of course. Love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She hung up and quickly joined the rapidly thinning group. By the time Coach Grant got down to the last few keys, only she, Keira, Amelia, TJ, and Evie were without rooms.
“Right, here’s yours.” Coach thrust a single room key towards Evie, who had traveled but wasn’t playing due to a shoulder injury.
“And your two’s,” she said, handing a key to Amelia.
Amelia’s eyes widened. “Hey, I’m the coach, I’m not sharing.
” Coach Grant snatched up the last key and headed towards the elevator.
Evie and TJ followed close behind, walking hand in hand.
Evie glanced back and winked. Keira and Amelia stared at each other for a few moments.
“Shall we go, then?” Amelia’s tone was half question, half command.
Her caring demeanor from the coach had disappeared like someone had flipped a switch.
Keira wasn’t sure what she’d done. Amelia headed to the lift, and Keira had to jog after her to keep up.
They waited in silence behind the others.
Keira glanced at Amelia, wanting to ask what was wrong, but Amelia’s gaze stayed fixed forward.
With a ding, a lift arrived, and Evie, TJ, and Coach Grant filled it.
Evie waved at them as the doors closed in their faces.
Keira waited a few seconds before calling another one. Amelia still hadn’t spoken.
“So…roomies, huh?” Keira said, trying to keep her voice light. Amelia seemed on edge.
“Yup,” Amelia said, apparently studying the control panel in front of them.
They lapsed into silence as they waited for the next lift.
Professional, Keira reminded herself.
Whatever was wrong with Amelia wasn’t her concern. It wasn’t like they were dating or anything.
But that didn’t stop it niggling at her.
By the time they got to the room, Keira was convinced she’d done something to offend Amelia.
Maybe calling her dad when they were checking in broke some unspoken team rule.
Amelia had practically marched them down the corridor without saying a word.
She was racking her brain for what else she could have done, when they stepped into the room and caught sight of the lone double bed.
“What the—” Keira started, but Amelia deposited her bag on the far side of the room and marched back out the door.
“C’mon, Michelle said straight back out.” Amelia commanded.
“But I need a wee…” Keira said helplessly, though she dutifully trailed after her. She tried not to think about how part of her also kind of liked Amelia bossing her around.
The communal dining area buzzed with chatter and laughter as the team sprawled across several tables, each with at least two large pizza boxes open on them.
The aroma of tomato and melted cheese wafted around them, interspersed with the pungent scent of pepperoni and pineapple.
Not on the same pizza, thankfully. Keira sat with Asha and Sienna; the latter practically fizzed in her seat.
“First away game! I’m so excited. I’ve watched all their games from last season that I could find; I really think we could take them.”
“Mm-hmm,” Keira replied. She had also watched some of the footage of their opposition’s previous games.
She was less confident. Her gaze drifted over to the table where Amelia, TJ, Evie, and Coach Grant sat in hushed conversation.
What were they discussing? Family stuff?
Or tactics and starting lineups? Keira wasn’t sure she could tolerate too much time on the bench right now; her confidence was on shaky ground.
“What do you think?” Sienna asked, and Keira zoned back into their table; Sienna and Asha looked at her intently.
“Hmm?”
“I was saying we could use Sofia’s height to neutralise the shooting threat from number eight.”