Chapter 12
April
“April, honey, will you come down here please?” April heard her mom shout from the bottom of the stairs.
April used the term ‘shout’ as loosely as humanly possible when referring to Imogen Walker. The woman had never raised her voice louder than a hiccup as far back as April could remember. Even the woman’s sneeze could be described as genteel.
As April made her way into the kitchen, she found her mom preparing a selection of snack boxes for the next few days of April’s training.
Apron tied around her waist, sleeves rolled up to just below the elbow, slim-fitted jeans, and short hair styled to stay out of her face.
This is the look April always associated with her mom whenever she was away from home.
“Oh good, you’re here. Are you hungry? I’ve got some boxes finished if you want one just now? It’ll be a few hours before dinner, but I don’t want you to be hungry,” her mom started. “Let me get you something while you wait.”
“Mom, I’m fine, I’m only waiting because you called me down.
Do you want me to help?” April made her way over to the sink and was already washing her hands before her mom told her she had called her down because her dad wanted to see her in his office.
“I’ll help first then I’ll go see him.” She started putting lids on the filled pots and stacking them into their large fridge.
“How’s your day going? Did you hear back from Aunt Lucy?
” April smiled. No matter what age she was, she’d never be able to say her aunt’s name and title without hearing Paddington Bear’s voice in her head.
“I did, she’s going to be here the weekend after next. I know you’ll be busy then.”
“Hopefully,” April corrected her mom. As many professional athletes would agree, you don’t plan to get through rounds of a tournament, but you do practice in the hope that it happens.
“You know what I mean, but she says that if she misses you this time, she’ll see you again soon anyway.
Now, you'd best go in and see what your dad wants before he comes out here looking for you. That won’t do either of us any good if he’s in one of his toddler tantrum moods.
” Her Mom smiled and did a half wink. Knowing how to handle her dad, especially during his moods, made life easier for everyone.
He wasn’t a particularly angry man, but if he didn’t get his way he could pull the silent treatment better than anyone she knew.
April leaned over and kissed her mom on the temple before heading through to the home office where she knew that she would find her dad. He would be surrounded by both of their trophy collections and no doubt squinting at the computer screen because he refused to admit he needed glasses.
Her dad was a very proud man. Kept himself fit, watched his diet, had a haircut every three weeks, read autobiographies of successful sports managers in different fields, attended leadership courses, and had even completed an online course in business management.
He always wanted to improve himself. Just don’t ask him to admit that his age was starting to factor into his life.
As suspected, she found him at his desk in front of the display case that held their multiple trophies, narrowed eyes looking at the screen while the printer sprang to life as she walked into the room.
“Ah, there you are! I’m just printing off the contract for the new sports drink.
Well, the updated version of the contract now that our lawyers have read it over and demanded some of the wording be altered from the original.
” Her Dad was clearly in manager mode, not even a ‘hi’ before talking business.
“Sit and take a look at it while I work through a few things, then if you’re happy, sign and date it at the end. ”
April sat down on the chair opposite her dad, picked up the contract, and began working through it.
One of the things that had always been instilled in both her and her brother, Connor, was to never sign your name to anything that you hadn’t read through yourself.
This had followed an issue with a contract her dad had signed early in his career which saw a large portion of income going elsewhere due to the wording in a clause that had been added without his consent between agreeing on the terms and physically signing it.
Over the next 30 minutes, April sat and read about terms and conditions, finances, expectations, and was about to skip to the end when a word caught her eye. Lifestyle.
She carefully read the clause that specified the contract would be null-and-void should her personal conduct and behavior reflect negatively on the brand, including social media posts, public appearances, and personal relationships.
Personal relationships?
Wait, since when could a sponsor end a contract with her based on who she may or may not have a personal relationship with?
She was sure she’d read this clause before, but this time it just landed a little differently with her. Given the amount of time she’d spent daydreaming about Jade, maybe that was why this clause was holding more weight today. She needed to double-check.
“What’s this Lifestyle clause about?” April asked her dad, trying to keep her voice as calm as she possibly could, while spiraling out of control on the inside.
“What?” Her dad asked, looking up at her for the first time since she entered the office.
“The lifestyle clause? Something about it being null-and-void if my personal relationships reflect badly on the brand?” April handed the paperwork to her dad and pointed to the section she was talking about.
“Oh, that’s just standard. It’s been in all of your other sponsorship contracts.
They just don’t want you to associate with the wrong kind of people and be seen out in public with those people while promoting their brand.
It’s nothing to worry about; you don’t hang around with the wrong kind of people.
There is nothing questionable about the image and behavior that is projected about you online or in person.
You’re not likely to cause offense or ruffle feathers with any target market out there.
You’ve got one of the best images of any professional athlete past or present.
Trust me. I should know, I’ve spent enough time and money ensuring it’s been carefully curated over the years.
” Roland didn’t look up as he handed the paperwork back to April.
April knew that being a professional, anything, meant that she herself was a brand.
She was more than aware that her every move, both on and off the court, was under great scrutiny by more than just her dad.
She acknowledged years ago that following this route meant all of her actions, and her words were under the microscope of the media.
Now, more so than ever. What she hadn’t expected though was that the actions and words of those she associated with were equally as important to her image.
Wait, did that mean, that if her nightly pleading and begging with any higher power that may exist were to come through, and she managed to see Jade again, that it could potentially impact her chances with future sponsorships?
That gave her far more to think about than simply signing her name on the dotted line like she usually did. Either way, if this clause existed in her other sponsorship deals which she had signed, could she potentially lose them by coming out?
April didn’t know what else to do but sign the contract and leave the office to go back to her room. She had no one to talk this through with. Nobody else knew the reason for her concern over the impact or potential fallout of this clause coming into effect with her multiple sponsors.
No, that was a lie. She had someone. The only person she actually wanted to talk this through with. She just didn’t know how to find Jade.