Chapter 39
April
“Thank you for coming,” April said as she let Dani into her house.
“Of course, you sounded so upset on the phone,” Dani said as she dropped her bag and took off her shoes without looking away from April.
April knew she looked like an absolute mess. She’d been that way since the day that nearly broke her. When Jade had suggested they pause for a week to let April make her decision over her dad’s plan. And when Suzie delivered her threatening ultimatum.
April stood rooted in the doorway, not even closing the front door. Her best friend waited a minute before moving in and wrapping her arms around April’s shoulders.
“Whatever it is,” Dani said, “we’ll figure it out, ok?” She reached out a bare foot and kicked the door shut moments before April broke down in her arms.
April had held it all in since that day.
She lost her match the following afternoon and packed up her stuff to return home.
She swallowed everything down while her dad and Jon seemed to double-team her about every point she lost. Few of their words made it to her ears.
When she got home, she hid in her room unless she was training or completing gym workouts.
Her Mom allowed her to eat her meals in her room as she knew something was going on with her youngest but didn’t know how to ask what it was. For that, April was grateful.
Dani directed her through to the large grey couches, sat April down, then headed to the kitchen. When she reappeared, she had a bottle of water in each hand, giving one to April before she sat down beside her, resting her own bottle in her lap.
“Take your time, start as far back as you need to, don’t leave anything out, and let me know when you want or need me to talk.
Otherwise, I’ll sit here and listen.” Dani used the same comforting tone she had back when they were in high school and April was failing English but didn’t know how to tell her parents.
She truly was the best friend April could ever wish to have.
April tried to open the bottle of water, but her hands were shaking too much. Dani reached for it and opened it for her with a sympathetic smile before handing it back. April took a long drink, then began to open up.
She told Dani about her dad’s indirect acknowledgement of her being gay as her manager, but no response at all as her dad.
She revealed his plan involving Simon. She told her about explaining that conversation to Jade.
She then let Dani know about Jade’s suggestion of radio-silence, and that was why she hadn’t reached out to her partner over what followed their conversation.
She finally exposed Suzie’s recent behavior climaxing in her threats and ultimatum.
When she was finished, she took another breath.
“And you’ve been dealing with all of this on your own? This whole time?” Dani asked, gently but April could tell there was a tone of irritation underneath for not reaching out to her closest friend for help sooner.
“I didn’t know what to do. I had to try and process what had happened first before I could reach out and have any hope of being coherent when telling you all that had been said.” April admitted, slightly defensively in her response.
Dani took a breath, reached into her pocket to reject the call coming through on her phone, and switched it to silent before addressing April again. She looked at her friend for a while, taking in the furrow on her usually calm brow. Dani was formulating a plan; April just had to wait.
“Ok, here’s what we’re going to do, not all of which you’re going to like, but I think it’s our only option.” Dani began.
“We? Our?” April asked, confused.
“Yes. The first thing we’re going to do is have you sign the paperwork to have me take over from your dad as your manager.
I should have stepped in as soon as you came out to me.
” Dani sat her own bottle down and reached for April’s hands.
“This is big, April, whether you think it is or not. Going through something this size, you’re going to need your friends and family around you.
If he continues to be your manager, he can’t support you in the way you need him to as your dad.
You and I will cope better as best friends as well as client-manager, than you pair ever did as family as well as client-manager. ”
“Ok,” April said as she exhaled a long breath that she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
“Next, while you’re Dad had a point about you and Jade needing to be addressed if players and staff are noticing, his opinion on how to do so is the complete opposite of what I would have suggested.
” Dani gave April’s hands a squeeze and offered her friend a reassuring smile, “we are not going to hide this beautiful thing you share together under a rug, ok?”
April felt the first flicker of a smile in over a week cross her face, “ok.”
“Now, Suzie,” Dani said with such venom it made April’s shoulders sag, but she couldn’t help acknowledging the flutter she felt in her heart at having Dani on her side.
“That piece of work is not forcing you out of a closet, or out of a career, on my watch!” She exhaled sharply, then got up to pace back and forth while April sat and followed her.
“Thank you,” April said, tears in her eyes again.
“No need, not when you hear how we’re going to fix this. But first, we need to get your family here. They need to know everything.” Dani said, leaving no room in her tone for April to argue.
Later that evening, Dani, April, her parents, Connor, and Lana all sat around the dining table.
April took a breath, hands sweating and slightly shaky, as she prepared to unveil the plan of action that Dani had worked on all afternoon. She looked at each of them in turn, then dropped her eyes to the glass of water sitting in front of her.
“I’ve called you here tonight because there are a few big changes about to happen which you all need to know about ahead of time,” she paused and took a breath.
She felt Dani rest her hand on her knee under the table, encouraging her to continue.
“Earlier this year, I met the most incredible person, and I’ve completely fallen for them. ”
April looked around the table and mostly saw eyes filled with surprise. As her mom went to talk, April gently shook her head to let her know she had to finish what she’d started.
“They are smart, kind, caring, funny, warm, and sexy as hell,” April sniggered as she heard Connor groan at hearing his sister call anyone sexy.
She took another breath to steel herself for their response as she continued.
"She is also incredible. With the most beautiful heart I’ve ever known in a person.
” April couldn’t bring herself to look up at this point, but she felt Lana’s hand squeeze her other knee under the table as Dani kept her hand where it still rested from earlier.
She could do this; she had support.
She looked up and saw her parents holding each other’s hands over the table. Her Dad gave a gentle nod with a small smile, and her mom looked shocked, and maybe a little hurt.
“Was it something we did?” Her mom started. The gasp from everyone around the table implying Imogen was not taking this news well.
“Mom!” Connor said in disgust, and in that moment, April truly loved her big brother. “Are you seriously sitting there and rejecting the fact your own daughter has found love, just because it happened to be with another woman?”
“No, not like that! I mean, was it something we did that you felt you couldn’t tell us before now?” Imogen asked her daughter.
A lump stuck in April’s throat realizing the power of her mom’s words. “No, it’s all me, Mom.”
She took a moment and cleared her throat before continuing.
“That being said, I know some other players and their own staff have noticed, and this could cause issues for my career. Dad suggested I be seen out with Simon a few times to keep any potential issues at bay for a while.”
“Roland! Tell me you didn’t!” Imogen started on her husband while whipping her hand from his. April cut her off before she could continue.
“It’s ok, Mom. Well, it’s not, but just listen.
” April waited until the murmurs at the table quieted before continuing.
"I've spoken with Dani and have agreed that she will take over the role of my manager going forward.” She turned toward her dad, “I love you, but with what I’m about to go through I need you to be my dad and be there for me, not be there as my manager and thinking about my career.” She noticed the large exhale of acceptance as he dropped his shoulders and head.
Roland looked up a moment later with a glassy look in his eyes, nodded at April and turned to Dani, “Thank you, I know you’ll do what’s best for our girl.”
“You have my word.” Dani replied with conviction.
“The main issue we’re up against is in the form of Suzie Gibbons.” April noticed her dad visibly bristle at the very name being spoken. “She overheard a private conversation between myself and Jade,” April smiled at being confident enough to say her partner’s name out loud.
“Jade?” Lana asked, “Cleo’s sister?” April smiled and nodded. “Good choice,” Lana added with a wink, and patted her knee under the table.
April sniggered before the weight of the next thing she had to say landed square in her chest again, making her smile fade and fear return in its place.
“Suzie overheard me telling Jade about Dad’s plan. When Jade left the room that we were in alone, she showed herself. She had been listening outside the door the entire time. She decided to use the conversation against me and issued an ultimatum.”
April was aware of everyone around the table holding their breaths in fear and confusion.
“She’s giving me until the end of the US Open to come out, or she’ll out me herself.”
“What? Why? Like that would do anything for her!” Connor said in disgust.
Dani took over at this stage, “Suzie seems to be under the impression that by April coming out, it’ll ruin her career to the point that her sponsors will enact the Lifestyle clause of their contracts and pull away from April, opting to choose Suzie instead.
As well as mentally removing her from playing tournaments which would allow Suzie more opportunity to win titles. ”
“That’s ridiculous!” Imogen said in protest.
“Typical Gibbons behavior!” Roland spat out in disgust.
“I know. That apple certainly didn’t fall far from the tree,” Dani said firmly. “That being said, I have a plan in place to take control of the narrative. April? Do you want to tell them?”
April felt five sets of eyes around the table turn to face her.
But felt the pair she missed most deep in her soul.
“I’ve been booked to appear on Blair Collins’ Show this Friday night ahead of the US Open starting this weekend.
I’ll use it to come out, but I don’t want it to be a big announcement.
I’m doing this for me, not to announce it to somehow appease Suzie, or to make a statement as a professional athlete.
I’m ready to just be me and not hide the love I feel for Jade from anyone.
” April froze. She knew her feelings for Jade weren’t fleeting. She hadn’t thought about love.
A hand on each of her knees gently squeezed their support.