Coach Lakshmi continues, “Fallon has an extensive background as a physical therapist. She’s worked at Pennsylvania Hospital for years, rehabilitating those with major injuries. We’re fortunate to have her with us now. As luck would have it, she was a highly decorated high school basketball player so she’s going to help the coaching staff a bit when she’s not busy managing your injuries and ailments. With Coach Carroll likely to be heavily pregnant during the summer, Fallon has kindly offered to handle some of the more physical tasks involved in coaching. Fallon has a daughter, Harper, who’s nine years old. Harper will occasionally be around, so keep it clean.” She stares right at me when saying that last part.
Sulley giggles. “Yes, Kennedy, keep it clean.” She wiggles her eyebrows with amusement before looking back at the group. “I’ve met Harper. She’s an awesome kid with a ridiculous vocabulary. We’re excited to have her around, Fallon.”
Fallon smiles in gratitude. “Thank you. I appreciate it. She’sin school now and spends half her time with her dad, but she’ll probably be with us a bit more as the summer approaches.”
“Montgomery, as in Tanner Montgomery?” I ask.
She nods. “Yes. That’s my ex-husband and Harper’s father,” she says with zero edge in her tone. “The three of us came to a lot of your home games last summer. Harper is a huge Anacondas fan, being that she loves softball so much, but I’ve been trying to convert her into being a Beavers fan too. Anyway, I’m excited for this change in my career.” She winks at Sulley. “Our friend over there was relentless in pursuing me and helped talk me into it, but I think the change of scenery will be welcome, and the schedule is a bit more favorable for a working single mom like me.”
I whisper to Sulley, “How do you know Fallon?”
She whispers back, “She helped to rehabilitate Bailey.”
I nod in understanding. Bailey Hart was in a terrible car accident this past fall. Tanner was driving the car. She broke her back and had to relearn to walk. Apparently her recovery was nothing short of a miracle. Sulley and Bailey are friendly, and I know Sulley was in touch with Bailey throughout her recovery process.
Sulley continues, “And Bailey just married Tanner. She’s now Harper’s stepmom.”
The fuck?
“Fallon helped rehabilitate her ex-husband’s new wife?” I ask, my tone filled with shock.
She smiles. “And Bailey is pregnant with twins. I heard it was a shock to all, Bailey and Tanner included.”
“The fuck?” I verbally express this time.
She giggles. “It’s like a soap opera, right?”
“Yes, it is,” I agree. “I don’t understand how people accidentally get pregnant. Birth control isn’t that fucking hard to manage. No glove, no love.”
An indecipherable look crosses her face. I point at her. “You and I need to chat about a certain sexy quarterback and the fact that you were screaming from his hotel room all night.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Will this conversation include a certain sexy tight end and the fact that you were screaming fromhishotel room all night?”
Definitely not. She’s got me there. I don’t respond.
She smiles in satisfaction as we both return our attention to our coaches. When the huddle breaks, Fallon walks over to me and takes my left hand in her right one. “Kennedy, right?”
I nod. “Yep. Last I checked.”
“What happened to your finger, sweetie?”
My left finger is wrapped in white gauze, still very raw from the horrific tattoo. I need it to heal before I’m able to cover it with makeup. And then I need to figure out how the hell to have these things removed. It’s supposedly a long, painful laser process that takes several months. I’m going to have to wait until after my season ends before I do anything.
“Oh,” I stumble a bit, “I burned it on the stove,” I lie. “It’s fine. Nothing for you to worry about.”
With a pretty face full of genuine concern, she rubs my arm in a maternal, comforting way I’m not used to. “Are you sure? Do you want me to take a quick look at it to make sure it’s not infected? Burns are no joking matter. If bacteria invades the wound, an infection could take on a life of its own.”
I shake my head. “It’s fine. Really. I swear. Nothing more than a flesh wound.”
“Okay. I’m here if you need me.” She smiles kindly as she squeezes my hand before dropping it. “You’re my daughter’s favorite player. She wears your jersey to games all the time.”
I point to myself in a bit of shock. “Me? Not Sulley? I thoughtallthe little girls love Sulley.”
She shakes her head. “Nope. It’s you. She likes your toughness. She’sobsessedwith softball. Her stepmom is a pro player. Harper thinks you’re more like a softball player because your style of play is so rough and tough. She loves watching you push people around. She gets the biggest kick out of it. I honestly think it’s the only reason she comes to the games.”
A bizarre sense of pride washes over me. I’m not used to any type of adoration from little girls. “Thanks for sharing that with me. I’d be happy to sign her jersey, take photos, or do anything else she needs.”
“She’d truly love that. Thank you. Some of the Anacondas players came to her birthday party last year. It was like she died and went to sports heaven.”
