Miriam
Watchingthe game on TV wasn’t nearly as exciting as sitting so close to the field you reach out and touch the players—but it was much safer.
Miriam still wasn’t sure what to do about Silas, and she worried that she might be tempted to reach out and tap his shoulder if she were sitting next to the home bench. Maybe finish what they’d started. Sitting on her couch at home, her hands could only stuff cookies in her mouth, or pet Hobbes who was curled up in her lap, purring.
She absent-mindedly rubbed behind her cat’s ears as she listened to the announcers give a breakdown of the game between the Storm and the Asteroids. They were nearing the end of the fourth quarter, and the visiting team was still up by one goal. She knew that everyone was going crazy as they waited for the Storm to tie it up. Nobody liked to be the trailing team, especially not in their home arena. At least if the Storm scored another goal, they could have a chance of winning in overtime.
Not that the Asteroids were going to hand over a goal that easily. Both teams seemed to move with a renewed fervor as the game was in its final minutes.
Miriam moved to the edge of her seat as the Asteroids brought the ball upfield to the Storm’s goal. Hobbes, realizing that he was playing second fiddle for her affections, stepped off her leg and lay down on the other side of the couch.
That meant Miriam could now rest her elbows on her knees as she watched one of the Asteroid forwards take a shot on goal. Finn blocked it, and passed to Bastian, who cleared it out. It went right to Silas...who wasn’t paying attention.
Really? With so much on the line?Miriam groaned. Silas had been playing sloppily the entire game—to the point where Miriam wondered why the coach kept putting him in.
Another player for the Asteroid players took possession and drove the ball back toward Finn. The Storm’s defense cleared it out, and Grant made one more valiant effort to take a shot against the other team’s keeper just before the buzzer went off.
It hit the post.
The Asteroids won.
All their players ran out onto the field to celebrate. Miriam flopped back in her seat and turned the TV off. She hated seeing losses for the Storm but knew it would be so much harder for the players.
They wanted to make a big comeback, The Comeback, and earn a spot in the playoffs. One loss wouldn’t mean that dream was out of reach, but it was sure to be a blow to everyone. She bit her lip as she thought about Silas. He was going to get a lot of grief in the locker room from the coach and players alike.
She looked at her phone, which was resting on the coffee table in front of her. Her fingers longed to reach out and grab it. Just a quick text. It wouldn’t mean that she’d forgiven him, only that she was a decent human being who hated seeing people down on their luck.
Then why aren’t you sending a text to everyone on the team?
Her brain was being super annoying right now, pointing out her flawed logic. Miriam decided she didn’t care. She reached out to grab the phone before she could convince herself not to and sent a quick message to Silas.
Miriam: Sorry about tonight. You’ll do better next time.
She hit send and dropped the phone in her lap, screen up. Silas was in the post-game recap with the rest of the players. His phone wouldn’t be on, much lessonhim. And yet, Miriam stared at the screen waiting for a reply.
A text lit up her screen.That was fast. Her heart hammered in her chest, until she realized it was from Harris.
Harris: Missed you tonight. Hope you’re feeling better.
Miriam felt a pang of guilt. She’d abandoned Harris and put all their work tasks on him that night because she was too chicken to see Silas in person—though apparently not too chicken to text. She typed out a quick reply.
Miriam: Thanks! Sorry to have put everything on you.
Harris: I’m happy I could help.
Miriam stared at the words on the screen. Harris was too good to her. She knew he had a thing for her, and that was most likely the reason he was so willing to go out of his way to help her. She didn’t want to be the type of girl who exploited guys’ feelings. She hoped Harris knew that she didn’t expect something for nothing. Just in case, she replied again.
Miriam: I seriously owe you one.
There. That way it was one coworker helping another coworker. She would pay him back, and then they’d be even.
Harris: No, you seriously don’t.
She could almost hear the teasing in his voice as he echoed back some of her same words. Miriam tried to formulate a reply when another text popped up. This time it was from Silas.
Silas: I was missing my muse.
Miriam pressed her fingers to her lips.His muse.That’s what he used to call her back in the day. The words should have hurt, but they had the opposite effect. They excited her. She wanted to be his muse.
