Page 55 of Game Plan
Lana pulled her lips into a tight thin line before she shook her head, “I’m sorry April, Cleo said they tried to get her to sit through with them to watch TV, but she just wanted some time to herself in the kitchen before heading home early. Right before your interview.”
“Oh,” April said, disappointment threatening to drown her. “I mean, it’s ok though, right? It’s not a rejection if she didn’t see it. And she didn’t know ahead of time I was even going to be on that show, right?”
April tried desperately to convince herself with her own words. She couldn’t lose Jade. It just wasn’t an option. She knew she wouldn’t survive that level of heartbreak.
“Exactly, she gave you space to make your choice knowing there’ll be a discussion about it tomorrow once you’re both in New York. That was always the plan, wasn’t it?” Lana said with a smile, trying to reassure April.
“Yeah,” April said softly, before nodding her head with increasing conviction, “Yeah, that’s still the plan. I’ll get to see her tomorrow.” The thought of that alone made April smile.
“Yes, you will,” Lana said, “So you better get ready to see her,” Lana winked and left the room.
Tomorrow, just one more day until I’m finally back in her arms again.
Their cases and her equipment bags had been processed at the luggage drop-off desk. They’d also survived the trek through security. Dani was now off getting some awful coffee drink, and April was sitting at the gate waiting to board. For the first time ever, she carried her own boarding pass and passport. It had always been something her dad took care of when they traveled.
It would take some work for them to change their relationship to be entirely parent and child, but things were already so much better than she’d anticipated. He was like an entirely different man in the space of a couple of days.
Dani had settled into the role with no issues, and April was enjoying the little bits of freedom she didn’t know she had been missing out on all these years. Something as small as carrying her own passport at 22 shouldn’t be this exciting. But it was.
She was also excited because she was that much closer to the time when she’d see Jade again. Even the thought of it was making her stomach swoop.
It had taken her a few hours to get over the initial disappointment that Jade hadn’t seen her interview, but she was ok with it now. She just had to look forward to the next day to see her partner and before the start of the tournament.
35 minutes later, their group was called for boarding. Dani had managed to get them First Class seats, but not together. April didn’t mind. She’d read, sleep, or watch a movie on the little screen on the back of the seat in front of her.
She settled into her seat, glad she was at the window, and took out her book while waiting for the other passengers to board. A few minutes later a voice stated, “Sorry, but I think you’re in my partner’s seat.”
April’s breath caught at the voice and turned to see the most beautiful woman in the world smiling down at her.
“Wha...what are you doing here?” April said confused, shocked and shaking.
“I’m taking my seat, next to partner, for us to fly to New York for the US Open,” Jade said through a grin, “You?”
April couldn’t believe it. Jade washere. She was sitting down. Right beside her for their flight.
“I, uhm, yeah, same...apparently,” she chuckled in disbelief as Jade sat down and reached her hand out across the gap between their seats. April looked at it for a second, before taking it in her own and pulling Jade into her arms as she felt tears fill her eyes. “So, I kind of did a thing.”
“I saw. My whole family did, and Cleo made Lana tell you I didn’t so that I could surprise you here,” Jade said, nuzzling into April’s neck. “Don’t be mad at her for it, or Dani for helping, they did it for me.”
“So, I can be mad at you instead then?” April laughed as she drew back and went to wipe away tears that were running down her cheeks, but Jade beat her to it.
“As long as it means I don’t have to go another week without the woman I love, then I’m good with that.” Jade said with the warmest smile April had ever seen, her teary eyes holding April’s own watery gaze. “Because I do, April, I love you. You’re the first woman I’ve ever said that to, and I’m glad I waited for it to be you.”
April felt herself relax for the first time in weeks, since before her dad sat in her hotel room telling her his plan to curb the rumors about her.
She raised a hand up to cup Jade’s face, “Jade, I’m so in love with you I don’t want to ever be anywhere that isn’t in your arms again,” she pulled Jade in closer. Their lips met briefly before they pulled back with tear-streaked smiles on their faces.
Epilogue – 6 months later
Jade
Jade stood between Cleo and Lana, waiting for Ivy to walk down the aisle.
She looked along the front row and saw her parents sitting with Evan. All of them with tears in their eyes. Sitting next to Evan, was April. Whose eyes were looking straight at Jade. She was stunning. In a floor length satin dress with cap sleeves, with a scoop neckline and backless, that was black or forest green depending on how the light hit it. Jade had reached out to Raul to get a dress made for April that would match her outfit colors as a surprise.
Jade couldn’t get over the journey they’d been on in the past year when she looked at the woman smiling back at her. Aprilseemed like the best version of herself since she came out and was unapologeticallyhersince. She won the US Open, but the way she did it was spectacular: beating Suzie in straight sets to win the title. That was after the player Suzie faced in the semi-final hit her in the face with a wild ball. While April would never admit it aloud, Jade wouldn’t shy away from the sense of satisfaction that brought her after what Suzie had done to April.
Smiling at the memory of sponsorship influxes that Dani fielded for April after she came out, Jade couldn’t hold back the excitement she felt for the very bright future April had with her career. Despite the attempts from Suzie to ruin it for her. She threw April a wink before turning toward the aisle as the music changed.
