Rhapsody Suite
Nine
THAT WAS IT. It was over. I was trying to cram my swollen foot back into my shoe so I could get on the court and my coach was conceding the match for me. My coach. My lover. The one person in the world I trusted more than anyone else. She had asked me and knew I wanted to go to Nationals. But she threw it all out anyway. I guess I didn’t mean as much to her as I thought. How could she do this to me?
Bree was leading my makeshift cheering section in a cheer of appreciation or something. My dad was saying something to me about pulling it together. Sam was repeating that he needed me to represent SCU and show great sportsmanship. And Lissa kept trying to touch me. I flinched away from her and mopped my eyes on Dad’s shirt before I turned to face the crowd. I stepped out and winced as I put pressure on my ankle. Everyone cheered as I raised my hand and waved at them.
I’ve heard of bittersweet moments. I wanted to hear them cheer. It pounded in my heart. How can you be down when so many people are showing love? But they were cheering for my effort, not my victory. “The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat.” ABC’s Wide World of Sports. I could see that skier dude crashing off the jump every weekend.
I limped over to where Rob and his coach were talking to his own excited fans and held out my hand. He took it and smiled.
“You okay, man?” Rob asked. “After the first serve I thought I was a goner. I hope you know it was an accident.” I looked into his eyes and nodded my head. I could see that it had been an accident. We were both playing crazy aggressively and I ended up on the short end of the stick. It could just as easily have been him who got injured.
“Congratulations, Rob. Good luck at The Ektelon.”
“You keep playing like that and I’ll need all the good luck I can get.” Well, that was a compliment, but it didn’t make much sense. I figured he must be talking about next year. “Hey, if you get a chance, I’d love one of those sketches you do. They’re like the most popular keepsake here at the competition. You should be selling them.”
“I’ll try to knock one out during the final round tomorrow,” I said. What a turn-around in opinions from this morning when the other guys seemed ready to crucify me for drawing pictures of them. “Just don’t stop to pose on the court. It’ll wreak havoc with your game.” We bumped fists and I turned and headed toward the locker room. All I wanted now was a shower and bed where I could curl up in a ball and cry. I threw an arm around Dad as I walked for support. Damn! That ankle hurt a lot more than I thought now that the adrenalin was seeping out of my system.
Lissa put an arm around me from the other side. I had a jolt of fury at her. I couldn’t snub my coach in front of the stands. I had just enough sense left to keep good sportsmanship and my scholarship in mind, but I wouldn’t look at her and didn’t put my arm around her. She kept talking to me in a low voice, but I was turned toward my dad and wouldn’t listen. Sam had gathered up my equipment and met us at the locker room door.
Another player was standing next to the locker room door when we got there. Karl Higgendorfer, the guy I would have met in the finals.
“Hey, Ames. Tough luck tonight. I was really looking forward to playing you in the finals. Next time, eh?”
I shook his hand and wished him luck.
Dad let go of me because the locker rooms are limited to competitors and coaches only. I made to escape into the refuge and was surprised to find Lissa walking right in with me.
“You can’t come in here,” I said in surprise.
“I have an injured athlete. I can go anywhere I need to.”
“I don’t need you.” That was harsh. It grated on my own ears. My voice caught and I couldn’t get anything else out. I sure wasn’t prepared for what came next.
Lissa practically threw me against a locker, grabbed my head, and turned me toward her. I thought, This is really stupid. She’s going to try to kiss me after that? But kissing wasn’t on her mind.
“Tony! Look at me! Darling, listen!”
“How can you ‘darling’ me? You just conceded my chances after you asked what I wanted.”
“Exactly. I got you what you wanted.”
“What?”
“You said the most important thing was to get to National Singles. So, would you rather win this match or go to Nationals?”
“That doesn’t make sense, Lissa. Sam said he’d send me if I was top tier. I can’t afford to pay my own way.”
“That’s what I was talking to Sam and the Director about. I wanted a witness when Sam said that he considered ‘on the podium’ to be top tier. You won third. You are on the podium.”
“So, I got bronze. That isn’t the final bracket.”
“Tony! Wake up. Sam agreed you are qualified and he’ll pay your way. You’re going to the Nationals, Tony.”
No. I must have hit my head when I fell on the court. I was hearing things—making up a fantasy. Sam had been specific about what he thought top tier was—final bracket. But there was Lissa, in my face, telling me that I was going to National Singles. Lissa, who I trusted. Lissa, who loved me. I was such an ass. She did love me. She did what I asked. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to say it. I just looked at her with tears flowing down my cheeks. I was totally overwhelmed.
Then she did kiss me. Boy, did she kiss me.
Fortunately, we heard the locker room door open before anyone saw us and when Rob and his coach entered the room, Lissa was helping me down on a bench. The coaches nodded to each other and then Sam came in with Dad. Sam got him a special pass so he could come in and help me. The trainer came in, too, and Lissa asked him to cut the tape off my ankle. Damn, that hurt! Usually if you’re going to tape up like that, you shave the area first. Believe me; I wouldn’t have to worry about shaving that area anytime soon.
“You want your chest hair waxed, too?” the trainer joked.
“No. Thanks. I think I’ll keep both of them.” Lissa left the locker room and Dad and Sam helped me get to the shower. No hot tub or steam tonight, even though that was what I wanted most. It would aggravate the swelling. As soon as I was mostly dressed, the trainer came back with elastic compression bandages and ice packs. Sam and Dad were talking about various things and I heard Dad mention that he was planning to bunk with me tonight. That brought my head up. I hadn’t thought about what having Dad here tonight would mean to my love life.
And that brought me to another issue. I was going to have to tell my parents about my unusual relationship. This wasn’t just a phase. Melody and I had spent all spring break with Lissa convincing her that we were in it for the long haul. I’d slept in Lissa’s room last night and intended to tonight, too. But what was I going to tell my dad? I needed to talk to Lissa and make things right with her. I wasn’t prepared for this.
It was almost nine when I got out of the locker room. Dad suggested we get something to eat and Sam said there was a good Mexican restaurant just off campus. We were going to walk, but Lissa suggested that she drive me over so I wouldn’t hurt the ankle any worse. Some unspoken communication passed between Lissa and Sam and Sam turned to my dad.
“Saul, why don’t you and I escort Tony’s cheerleaders over to the restaurant so they aren’t accosted on the walk? We’ll meet Tony and Lissa there.” Dad glanced at me and I thought he tossed a quick look at Lissa, too. He nodded his head.
“Tony probably needs coaching in private,” Dad said with a chuckle. “Don’t want him embarrassed at his celebration dinner.” He and Sam headed out with Bree and Allison. I was relieved as I wrapped my arm around Lissa and headed for the car.
We just sat in the car with my phone on speaker as we quickly recapped the game with Melody, explaining that we were headed to dinner with my dad and Sam. That brought up the topic I really wanted to talk to them about.
“Hey, my loves,” I started, “I really need to ask you something. I had a flash of anger after the match this evening because I thought Lissa had betrayed me. I’m sorry, Lissa. I should have known.”
“I wish I could have explained before the ref announced the decision,” Lissa said. “I know hearing it like that shook you up.”
“Still, I’m in love with you. I shouldn’t doubt that you care for me. Melody, that goes for you, too. I’m in love with you. I know that you are always on my side. So what I need to ask—and I’m sorry this is going to sound so dumb—but I need to know—are we really together now? I’m not asking for a lifelong commitment or to find a state or country where the three of us can get married, but this is more than a fling, right?”
“Honey, being away from you and Lissa tears me apart. I’ve been so lonely this weekend I can hardly stand it. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t ever want to be without you. I know it’s too early to figure out how it will work in the future, but I want to have a future with you. I love you both.”
“I think you both know how I feel,” Lissa picked up from Melody. “After I saw you with my boys, the last of my resistance crumbled. I don’t know the how, but the what is real. I want us to be a family. We’ll figure out a way to make it work.”
“Why’d you ask, Tony? Didn’t you know what we’d say?”
“I thought I knew,” I answered Melody. “I just had to hear it explicitly from both of you. I want to tell my dad tonight.”
“Tony!” They started giggling as they realized how they had responded—exactly the same.
“I know you might not be ready to do the same with your families,” I continued. “We each have to approach it the way we think is best, and I know we have to be careful around school. But my folks have always supported me in everything I do and I’ve kept them too distant from what was happening in my life. My dad’s here with us tonight and I know he’s already picked up on Lissa and me. He might not know exactly how far it’s gone, but he knows we’re attracted to each other. I don’t want to give him the wrong impression or mislead him. I want him to know that it’s both of you. I want him to know I love you both.”
“Tony, if you think the time is right, I’m with you,” Lissa said. “I was kind of hoping you’d sleep in my room tonight and then figured there was no chance with your dad sharing your room.”
“I only wish I could be there with you two when you tell him, Tony. If you want to introduce me over the phone, I’ll be up.” She paused. “Amy, Sandra, and Kate know. I told them without even asking you guys. It’s really too exciting to me to keep a secret forever.”
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