15. Victoria
VICTORIA
For the first time since I arrived, I got to play tourist instead of journalist. I’d been looking forward to the parade since I read the tournament itinerary, mostly because it would be a day off for me.
There was enough national coverage that Cambrie and I weren’t required.
My plans consisted of sleeping in, check.
Room service coffee and breakfast, check.
Lounging around in my pajamas, check.
It was already ten, and I’d only left my bed to bring in my food. I was watching a rom-com I’d seen a few times and didn’t have to pay close attention to follow. Some might consider this lazy. I deemed it self-care.
Each time my phone buzzed, I ignored it.
This was my one and only day off, and I was going to protect that.
The main characters were finally admitting their feelings for each other when there was a knock on my door.
Nope.
I hadn’t ordered anything else, so there wasn’t a chance I was going to answer.
Another knock.
Nothing good could be on the other side.
“Victoria!” More knocking.
Cambrie.
I almost ignored her. Maybe I was gone. Lining up to watch the parade with the rest of the city.
“Victoria, I know you’re in there.”
She couldn’t.
“We shared our phone locations, remember? I know you haven’t left.”
I did not remember. That had sounded like a good idea in the moment, making sure we could find each other if we got separated at events. I didn’t think she’d use it against me like this.
I groaned and got up, glaring at the door until I opened it and forced a smile.
She took in my bedhead and pajamas. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.” That was the point.
She stepped past me, letting herself in. “Well, you need to hurry and get ready.”
“For what?”
“The parade,” she eyed me. “We’re going to be late.”
“We don’t have to be there.” I reminded her, “It’s our only day off.”
“You don’t want to go?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
“But it’s the two-hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our country's independence. Take out the tournament; this is still a big deal.”
“I can watch from here.” I pointed at the TV. “And probably have a better view.”
Not to mention having the room set to a cool temperature without the humidity.
“It’s the Fourth of July, and we’re in DC.”
“Correct.”
Her eyes narrowed. “This is the biggest anniversary we’ll be alive for.”
“We could see three hundred.”
She folded her arms. “But we won’t be in our twenties with press passes.”
I sat on the end of my bed. “But––”
“We don’t even have to be in the crowd. There are platforms we can stand on.”
“It’s so hot,” I tried.
“They’re shaded. I’m pretty sure I even saw fans.”
I fell back with a groan. “I haven’t had a day off in weeks.”
“We interview athletes. It’s not hard or strenuous labor.”
“It’s mentally––”
“Shut up,” she cut me off and grabbed my wrists and dragged me back up to sitting. “You’ll regret not going.”
“I can promise you, I will not.”
“Don’t you want to be able to tell your friends and family that you were there?” She let go of me to point out the window.
I shrugged, “No?”
“You’re going to make me go alone?”
“You know just as many people here as I do,” which is to say, a lot. “You just went out with a friend.”
“They left,” she rushed out. “I’d be all alone.”
“With the other people we see every day. The ones we spend hours with, eating, chatting, and hanging out with between practices.”
She’d hardly be lonely.
“I’m asking you.”
“No, you’re telling me.”
“Well, now, I am. Please,” she batted her lashes. “Please come with me.”
I cringed.
“I’ll buy you a funnel cake.”
I didn’t respond.
“Caramel apple?” she tried.
Nothing.
“Kettle corn?”
I blinked.
“Deep fried Oreo?”
I grimaced.
“Fair, okay, how about cotton candy, or a corn dog?”
I had a stomachache just thinking about it.
“Turkey leg?”
“Gross.”
“Okay, I’ll get you an iced coffee?”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’ll go with you, but I’m not staying for the festival.”
The parade was scheduled until noon; then there was a huge festival on the National Mall until tonight’s fireworks. I’d commit to an hour or so, but I was coming back to enjoy my day. Here. Alone.
“Deal,” she beamed. “Now, hurry!’
“Yes, ma’am," I saluted and went to my bathroom to brush my hair into a high ponytail and apply sunscreen. I wasn’t going to put any more effort in since I wasn’t going to be on camera today and would be back here soon enough.
The one good thing about packing for this tournament was that it didn’t take much thought. I simply grabbed all my red, white, and blue clothing, so I grabbed a white skirt and a blue tank top that were the first two things I saw in the drawer.
Once I had changed and had my sunglasses and phone in hand, I waved to the door. “Let’s go.”
She beamed. “Okay, but first you need to turn around.”
“Why?” I asked while obeying.
“I got us matching ribbons,” she explained as she lifted my hair.
I caught our reflections in the mirror out of the corner of my eye. She was tying a red and white star ribbon around my ponytail.
“Perfect,” she smiled and pulled a second one out of her pocket and tied it like a headband. She glanced in the mirror and nodded. “We’re ready.”
“Okay,” I took a steadying breath as we left and headed down the hall.
It wasn’t like I was unpatriotic or not a fan of parades.
I just had to readjust my expectations for the day.
I didn’t want to be a downer and ruin her experiences, so as we rode the elevator to the lobby, I rolled my shoulders and accepted the press pass she handed me.
“Iced coffee and a funnel cake.”
She laughed. “I knew I had it the first time.”
It was five.
I was sunburnt, full of sugar and fried foods, and suffering from motion sickness.
Normal rollercoasters and rides at amusement parks never bothered me, but there was something about these jerky rides that made my stomach roil. Maybe it was wondering about the safety measures, or the lack of.
But I was done with spinning or flipping or accelerating for the rest of the day.
In fact, “I think I’m done.”
“No,” Cambrie whined. Her cheeks had fireworks painted on them, matching my own, and her ribbon had been replaced with a light-up star headband that bobbed around as she spoke. “We still need to see the state exhibits.”
“You said the petting zoo was the last thing,” I whined back.
“Please,” she begged, while waving a mini flag someone had handed her a few hours ago. “This is once in a lifetime.”
“This is lasting a lifetime,” my shoulders sagged. “I’m tired and my feet hurt, and my stomach is still deciding whether or not it’s going to rebel.”
“But each state designed its own room. There’s music and displays and––”
“I’m so proud of them, but Cambrie, my friend, I’m done.”
“But the fireworks,” she pouted.
“Are in another four hours!”
“That will breeze by,” she waved off my concern and pointed to the main stage. “We can go listen to the band for a little while.”
“Maybe if you let me go take a break, I’ll come back and watch the fireworks with you.” When had this turned into a hostage negotiation?
She sighed. “If you really have to.”
“We’ve been out here forever already. I only agreed to the parade.”
She looked down at her feet. “It’s just that this is a hard day for me.”
“What?”
She kept her eyes down. “I used to always spend the Fourth with my grandpa. It was special, and now––” she cleared her throat. “And now he’s gone.”
I glared at her. “You FaceTimed him two days ago.” During our lunch break. “He told you about fishing and the party his cul-de-sac was throwing.”
She covered her mouth, but I caught her smile. “Right, he’s gone from me, in Michigan, and I just really miss him.”
“You’re out of control.” I shook my head and started to turn.
“Victoria, please. This is my favorite holiday, and I’m having so much fun with you. Please don’t abandon me.”
I turned back. “This is your favorite holiday?”
“Yeah,” she lifted a shoulder.
“Not Christmas or Thanksgiving? Halloween?”
“No, it's today.” She was lying again, but I had no way to prove it.
“Well, then, so glad I got to spend the day with you.”
Her eyes went wide. “But there’s still daylight left.”
“Cambrie––”
“I’ll get you another ice cream!”
I closed my eyes, my stomach protesting that idea. “We’ve already had ice cream, soft serve, gelato, and shaved ice.”
I got all kid sizes, and it was too much. I had no idea how she was considering the idea of more.
“I’ll win you a stuffed eagle,” she pointed to the ring toss game a few yards away.
“No thanks.” A shower rinsing away an afternoon of sweat was the only cold treat I wanted.
“Hi, ladies.” A male voice called, and I ignored it because we were surrounded by people, but Cambrie’s gaze lifted past my shoulder.
“Oh my gosh,” she squealed. “It’s really you! Can I have your autograph?”
I stared at her in horror and glanced around us, but fortunately, no one was paying us any attention.
“Of course.”
I turned and nearly jumped when I recognized Josh. “Do you have a pen?”
She lifted her hands, one still holding the flag and the other empty. “Dang.”
He laughed. “Good, because I’m pretty sure I have a cramp that’s going to last a few days.”
“Long day?” she asked.
He let out a long sigh. “Yeah, but it’s been a good time.”
I looked past him. “Did you sneak away? Is someone going to come running through the crowd searching for you?”
“I hope not,” he smiled at me. “We got released a little while ago. I went back to my room to shower and change.”
I shot a look at Cambrie. “Must be nice.”
She ignored me.
“Yeah, I wanted to change into normal clothes and see if I could take in some of the festival without getting hounded.”
“You do realize you look like that,” Cambrie waved her flag up and down.
“Like what?” He looked down at his white shirt and navy shorts.
“It’s not your clothes; it’s you.”
His brows furrowed. "What does that mean?”
“You’re like six-ten and built like one of those tanks.” Her flag now pointed behind us, where there was a display of military vehicles.
“I’m six-four.”
“Exactly. You stick out a bit.” She glanced around, then held up her flag, “Hold on.”
She ran off, and I shook my head. “She’s had too much sugar today.”
He laughed, “I can tell.”
I lost sight of her in the crowd and turned to face him.
“I like your face.” He pointed to his own cheeks.
“Oh, thanks,” I blushed, feeling a bit childish for letting Cambrie talk me into that.
“And the stars are cute.” His eyes locked onto the bobbing lights attached to my headband. “Looks like you two have had fun.”
“I was planning on lying in bed all day, but she banged down my door and begged me to come with her.”
“You didn’t have to cover anything?"
“No, since it was all nationally televised, it was supposed to be our day off.”
“And you didn’t want to go to the parade?”
“It was more like I didn’t want to move, or endure the heat and humidity.”
He smiled. “Fair enough.”
I felt like the Grinch of the Fourth now. “But the parade was fun. You guys got the crowd pumped.”
“I haven’t been in a parade since the Stanley Cup. I forgot how much adrenaline you get from all that cheering.
“More than a game?”
He shrugged. “Fans are behind the glass, and I’m used to blocking it out. Today I had nothing to do but take it all in.”
“Here!” Cambrie reappeared and shoved an Uncle Sam top hat and red star-shaped sunglasses with navy blue lenses toward him. “The perfect disguise.”
He didn’t argue as he put them on, then posed for us.
“Looks great,” I laughed. “You actually do blend in now.”
Cambrie beamed. “We’ve passed at least twenty other guys wearing the same thing today.”
“Well, thanks. I appreciate it,” he smiled. “Where are you guys off to next?”
“The state exhibits,” Cambrie answered as I said, “Actually.”
“Oh, I haven’t been over there yet, but people were telling me they were really cool.”
“How about that,” Cambrie grinned at me. “You should join us.”
I shot her a look, which she ignored.
“You don’t mind if I become the third wheel?”
“Not at all.” She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder, pushing me next to him, then walked in front of us, “This way.”
She began marching, knees up and elbows bent, waving that little flag toward the white tents.
“This is her favorite holiday,” I felt the need to explain her enthusiasm, so he didn’t think it was about him.
“It’s a good one.” He moved out of the way of a running child and bumped into me. He grabbed my waist to keep me steady, then immediately dropped his hands back to his sides as we continued past. “Sorry, didn’t mean to knock into you.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. His hands on me, those big hands that felt so secure, like I’d have nothing to fear with them around…
Stop.
He didn’t want me to fall over.
It wasn’t a caress; it wasn’t even about me.
He would have done the same for anyone else.
That thought made my stomach roll all over again.