The varsity struggled again the next Saturday, we managed to win, but we lost the doubles for the second week in a row, and Heather had to retire five games into her match. Luckily I didn’t have to make excuses that night with Ethan, as Nature was providing her monthly reprieve from male attention. I was still planning on talking with him, though, and I had an appointment at the clinic to speak to a female NP. I was feeling confident that I was going to be able to get past this.
I knocked on Coach Holiday’s door after practice.
“Come in!”
I entered to see Mitch already sitting down. “You wanted to see me, Coach?”
“Spencer, yes, please.” She indicated an empty chair. I sat down, and she folded her hands.
“I just wanted to tell you both how impressed I’ve been with your progress so far this year, both of you. I’m very proud of each of you. Now, for the reason I asked you here. We’re shutting Heather down for the rest of the year. The inflammation in her elbow and shoulder isn’t getting any better, and we don’t want to jeopardize her career. Which means there’s a varsity spot open, and I want you to know that the coaches and I seriously considered both of you. But, this week the number six singles spot is going to be filled by Kirkpatrick. Congratulations.”
“Thanks coach.” Mitch’s voice was stunned, her mouth hanging open. I smiled and reached out and grabbed her hand. Of course they’d chosen her, she had more upside, and I knew it. But they were going on the road to Ole Miss, an overnighter, so no JV, and I wouldn’t be playing.
“Well, have a good trip. You’ll do great.” I tried to keep any disappointment out of my voice.
Coach Holiday smiled. “Oh, no, Spencer, you’re not getting off the hook that easy. I still want the two of you playing doubles together. You’re coming with as the first alternate, and you’ll both be playing number three doubles.”
I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I was going to be playing varsity tennis for the University of Georgia.
“Now, I understand there’s been tension in the past, but I generally assign doubles partners to room together. If that’s acceptable?”
Mitch gave me a wicked grin. “I don’t know. Spencer, do you snore?”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “Like a freight train.”
Mitch laughed, and so did the coach. “It’s settled then. Congratulations, Cindy. You’ve earned it.”
We left the office, and I leaned up against the wall of the hallway. I was shaking. “Oh my God, oh my God.”
“Hey, you okay?” Mitch’s eyes were dancing with mirth.
“Yeah, yeah I, but you! You’re playing singles! Congratulations!”
“Thanks. You’re going to help me prep, right?”
“Sure, but the coaches’ll…”
Mitch shook her head. “They’ll be great, but I want you. I trust you.”
My mouth opened slightly in surprise. I was touched. “Thanks, Mitch. Of course I’ll help.
“Good. But first things first, y’know.”
I grinned at her, knowing exactly where she was going with this. “Party?”
“Damn straight!”
We ended up at Last Resort, along with Carrie and a couple of the other ladies on the team. It included Heather, whose spot Mitch was taking, and she was being very supportive. I ordered a round of fried green tomatoes for everyone. Mitch initially turned her nose up at them, but I eventually got her to try one, and she admitted they were pretty good.
I leaned back at one point and took in where I was, and who I was with. I was sitting with some of the top collegiate players in the country, and I was a member of the team.
“What are you thinking?” I looked over at Mitch, who had moved next to me.
“Just that I’m really on the team. I’m going to be a real player for Georgia.”
She reached out and put a hand on my knee. “You were already part of the team. We all know it.”
I shook my head. “Hm-mm. You have to play in an official varsity match to be in the record books.” I put my hand on hers. “And you were always going to play. You have too much talent not to.” I looked up into my friend’s kind face. She really was very pretty, especially with those incredible eyes.
“You were going to play, too.”
I smiled a half, disbelieving smile. “Maybe. I was a lot more of a gamble. Coach Holiday only let me walk on because she didn’t have to chance a scholarship on me.”
“Cindy, when Coach told me we were going to be doubles partners, wanna know what she said? She told me that you were the smartest freshman player she’d ever coached, and if I had the sense God gave a goose I’d pay attention to everything you said and take it as gospel. Everyone here respects you. I know I wouldn’t want to play you in a real match.”
I felt a tear form in my eye at her sincerity. She squeezed my hand, and I smiled at her. I noticed that we were getting looks from the others, especially Carrie, and I felt my cheeks heat up, although I don’t know why. We weren’t doing anything.
We made it back to the dorms before ten, which was surprising to me, at least, even though it was a Monday Night. Mitch had called her parents on the way home, and you could hear their excitement and support in the muffled voices on the other end of the line. That was not what I expected from my parents, who tolerated my athletic endeavors rather than celebrated them. My older brother played football and baseball, and my father attended every one of his games. He’d only come to a few of mine.
I made it back to my dorm room, which was empty, and I pressed the icon for my parent’s landline.
“Spencer residence.”
“Hi, daddy, it’s Cindy.”
“Hello, sweetheart. It’s late, is something wrong?”
“Um, no, daddy. I just had some news. I’ll be playing varsity doubles this weekend. It’ll probably be live streamed if you want to watch.”
“Congratulations. We’ll try. Do you want to speak to your mother?”
“Sure. Thanks daddy.” I repeated the information to my mother, who also offered her congratulations before immediately asking about Ethan. I assured her he was well and lied that we were doing well. I got no honest approval until I got to talk to Charlotte, my little sister, who was very excited. She was only ten, so me playing on the big stage was very exciting for her, and that at least made me smile. My older brother Carl was also very supportive and excited when I called him after, and he promised to be watching on Saturday.
***
“So, were your parents excited?”
“Yeah, sure.” I tried not to think too hard about Carrie’s question. My parents would only be excited when I brought home a fiance, and then, after being married a suitable time, announcing I was pregnant. Carrie’s parents had been over from Atlanta for every match so far. Showing up for one of my matches would be far too close to approval for mine.
I sat back in my seat on the bus. The week had been a whirlwind. Carrie, Mitch and I had to meet with one of the coaches and go through travel protocols and everything, and practice had just felt more intense knowing I was preparing for a real match.
“Are your parents going to come out for this one?”
Carrie nodded. “Yeah, at least one of them, I think. First SEC match and all.”
“What’s up ladies!” Mitch bounced onto the bus with her typical enthusiasm, getting high fives as she made her way back to the bus where Carrie and I were sitting. At least she’d spared me from answering the return question. She flopped into the seat across the aisle from us. “You ready for this, roomie?”
“Yeah. No pressure on me. If we lose our set I can blame it on you.”
Mitch shrugged. “Everybody’d blame me anyway. No biggie.”
Mitch’s being there made me calmer. I’m not sure how that was possible, given her endless energy, but it was true.
Coach Holiday finally climbed on board, giving us all one last look over before she sat down. The bus’s engine started and suddenly we were on our way. It was a six and a half hour drive to the University of Mississippi, which is a long time to be cooped up with anyone, but somehow Mitch made the miles fly by. The whole bus was in an exuberant, confident mood. Ole Miss was a team we should beat, but every year was a new challenge, and the team was focused
Mitch and I had spent several hours reviewing film on her opponent, who was a solid but not spectacular junior. Mitch was licking her chops at the prospect, but I had to remind her that this girl was probably doing the same thing, drawing an unknown freshman as her first conference match of the year.
On the trip we pulled the tape of Carrie’s opponent up on her tablet as well, going through her strengths and weaknesses. She was up against a girl from Europe, who was also listed as a freshman, but she looked older. She was small, maybe a little above five feet, and a completely defensive player, the kind who just ran everything down and made you hit shot after shot. That type of player could be a nightmare for someone like Carrie, who didn’t have massive weapons like Mitch.
“Look, she’s behind the baseline again. She plays like five, six feet behind all the time.” I pointed at the screen. “I’ll guarantee you she grew up on clay.”
Carrie looked at me. “So what would you do?”