Page 64 of The Game

"That's a very long time to sit and listen to your mother prattle on."

I did giggle then, although I flushed once the sound escaped my mouth, because I loved both my parents equally really. "I think we should win," I said, turning the conversation back away from my poor mother and onto the Red Cats.

"What's wrong?"

I hesitated and then decided to stick to the path I'd chosen as I'd walked around the duck pond holding Sammy's hand just earlier that day. "Can we talk about it tomorrow? I don't want to ruin the whole weekend."

His face clouded and I knew I'd probably just ruined it anyway. You see cricket was in the Rivers blood, anything less than that wasn't feasible.

We pottered about all afternoon; mum dragged me out into the garden and showed me how to prune roses, for the hundredth time. I kept turning expecting to see a silver SUV pull onto the driveway, but it never did.

Goodbye really was goodbye.

That evening Maria, her husband and Scarlett joined us for a BBQ, and I served chilled wine into tumblers, while painting a smile onto my face. When we scattered around the lawn on deckchairs in the growing dusk I asked if they'd all be able to join me for a family dinner the next day. I was going to cook. Maria looked horrified but also split with pride when she saw me include her in my family. I squeezed her hand, how could the woman who kept my life running smoothly be anything else?

The next day at one in the afternoon, our family extended just like I'd arranged when the doorbell rang and Vanessa's parents stepped awkwardly over the threshold. They were followed ten minutes later by Betsy.

You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife, but as I explained after I'd sent the little guy on a hunt for more dips, it was time for us to change, for his sake. If we weren't happy then how could he be?

I cleared my throat and stood, my attention focused on my dad who sat looking at the table, his face telling me he knew what was coming. "That's why I am going to quit the team," I explained to a deathly silence that fell around the table that was so quiet you could have heard clouds flutter by. "Coaching isn't for me, and while I know I have support and could maybe play again, it's not what my heart is telling me. It's telling me there is something else for me, some things that I'd never allowed myself to consider because of cricket." I tried to articulate my heart but knew I'd failed.

Dad exploded out of his seat, his hand jamming into the pockets of his slacks. "This is crazy. Is this because of that Jase Willis and what the papers were saying?"

I flushed. "No, that was just gossip."

"But? You've never had a problem before." His face was a livid red. "When you've been with a team where he wasn't the captain, that is."

What was I supposed to say to that? No, because they were girls? Betsy smirked, and I threw daggers with my eyes in her direction.

"It's nothing to do with that," I cried, wishing my cheeks weren't quite so livid with a burning heat. "This is about Sammy and me." Mum tutted, and I corrected myself. "Sammy and I."

Blythe twirled her wine glass inspecting the translucent colour of the pale wine in her glass that had been smuggled into the country via the safety of my parent's suitcases. "What do you want?" Her gaze was intent on my face.

My shoulders grazed my ears, and I harpooned the table with my nail. "I don't know."

Betsy waved her beer bottle at me. "You know what you want."

I flushed.

She flashed me a wicked smirk. "Fun."

"Okay. But I don't think I'm going to have fun making sure other people are fit enough to play." My mouth turned down, and my stomach clenched when I thought of shoulders that were injured and that I didn't know how to fix because all I did know was how to hit a ball with a bat. "It's not the same as playing. I know that now, but then I also know I can't do that anymore..."

Betsy coughed, her fingers drumming on the table top. "Okay, I'm not playing devil’s advocate here," she flashed her trademark top lip curl. "Okay I am, but here. This is for you."

She pulled an envelope out of her pocket and slid it across the table top. It was sealed, plain white, with my name in type across the front. I went to collect it, lifting it into ready to break the seal but she placed her hand over mine. "Wait till later, hey?"

I shrugged. This was all cryptic.

Blythe waved her glass again. "You know we are moving here to be more hands on, Lys. Why don't you wait until everything is more settled?"

Mum's jaw hit the decking. "They are what?"

I grimaced, "Colin and Blythe want to move closer so they can see Sammy and help," I explained.

Mother’s face was painted with a vibrant shade of displeasure. "But, we can move, and help too."

I sighed and rubbed at my brow. Was it me or was the evening sweatier than normal. "But you don't need to. I told you that a year ago."