“Step back with your left foot, and lean forward on toyour right, bending your knee a little.” I step behind him, helping him keep his balance.
“If I knew there was an opportunity for you to help me stretch, then I would have volunteered to play,” Ethel says.
I let out a laugh and shake my head. These women are a little spicy, and it’s not what I expected. We finish our stretches, and then each takes a spot on the court. For old guys, all three men are actually pretty good at the sport. We play half a game and then break for water.
“Do you ever play?” I ask, sitting next to Wren.
“Johnny usually handles it,” she says.
“We’ve been trying to convince her to play with us,” Morton says. “But she never says yes.”
“Why don’t we switch,” I say. “I’ll sit here with the ladies and you go show the men how it’s done.”
She looks at me.
“Go and play,” Clara says. “Let us spend some time with this man of yours.”
“Go. I could use a break. Morton’s got quite the swing.” I chuckle.
She walks out onto the court, and I move closer to Clara on the bench. “So, how long have you loved our Wren?” she asks, as soon as Wren’s out of earshot.
“Woah,” I laugh. “You ladies don’t waste any time do you?”
“Silas and Morton can never last a full game,” Clara explains. “Stop deflecting and answer my question.”
“We’ve only been together a few days,” I say.
“Oh, please, you have love written all over your face,” she says.
I glance toward Wren. Her ponytail swings behind her as she swings the paddle, hitting the ball back over the net. Silas hits it back towards her, and she misses it. He shouts something at her, and she bursts into a fit of giggles. She looks over at me, so I throw her a wink, and she winks back.
“It’s true,” Ethel agrees. “It’s radiating off of the both of you.”
The both of you.I know without a doubt they’re right about me, and I hope that maybe they’re right about her too.
Wren and the men walk over once the game is finished. “Last time we ask you to play with us,” Silas says, patting Wren on the arm. “You’ve been holding back, sweetheart. You’re a tough pickleball player.”
“I don’t know about that,” she says. “You two gave Eugene and me here a run for our money.”
“You flatter us,” Morton says. “But he’s right. You’re very good.”
“Ladies, y’all sure you don’t want to play?” I ask.
“Oh, no, honey,” Clara says. “You put Ethel and me out there and we’d both be catching a ride back to Dogwood Manor in an ambulance instead of the bus.”
“She’s right!” Ethel laughs. “We just come to watch the athletes do their thing.”
Wren giggles. “Okay, everyone. Time to go home.”
We all make our way over to the bus, and I help Ethel and Clara up the stairs and to their seats. Eugene sits next to Clara and immediately finds her hand. “Thank you for helping my girl,” he says.
“It was my pleasure.”
“Tanner, you sure you don’t want to come back with us?” Ethel asks.
“I’ll have to stop by some other time,” I say. “It was nice meeting you all.”
Wren and I walk back off the bus together and stop at the bottom of the stairs. “Thanks again for today,” she says. “You were a real lifesaver.”
