Chapter Text
Spring Break, Senior Year
At the gathering after the charity doubles match, T. stood up and gave a speech.
I'd like to personally thank everyone for coming and supporting a worthy cause. Now I want to do this by playing a composition that's been on my mind leading up to this tournament. I hope some of you will recognize it for what it is, he says, smiling at Judge and Rachel. Since the piece starts out one handed, it'll be a good fit, but I'll try my weakened hand as well.
By your leave, he announces to the audience and sits down with no sheet music.
Sara looks over at Jim worriedly across the crowd. He gives her a slight nod, indicating that it's alright.
T. starts playing a one-handed jig, but soon stops when he misses a note with his bandaged hand thirty seconds in. He stands up and turns to the audience, and says quietly, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak". The audience claps furiously anyway, while Sara is distracted by Brey, who is choked up.
***
The tennis stadium is packed. A network television station has paid a quarter million dollars for the broadcast rights; all proceeds going to the Bethesda Naval Hospital. Tennis celebrities John MacEnroe and Pete Sampras announce the game and provide analysis to the TV audience.
The players walk on the indoor court in the center of the arena together. Sara and Teish shyly wave at each other, and walk alongside in silence, looking down at the freshly painted green concrete, while Jim and Ethan talk animatedly in front of them.
Ethan, I'm so glad you were there to help Sara through her dark night of the soul. It is an honor to meet you, and I've long wanted to shake your hand and tell you so. Their handshake turns into a man hug.
Tell Sara not to play the net; you too for that matter when he's returning the serve. I don't know if he'll be able to hold back; it's the way he plays.
Ethan looks at him seriously and nods in understanding. Good luck, and I look forward to talking to you more at the gala afterward, Jim. They shake hands again.
Ethan goes back to Sara, who's ready to serve, and whispers to her. She gives him a look, but nods curtly. Then rolls her eyes when she sees that he's staying back on the baseline with her.
Jim whispers to T., remember what we've talked about: do not play Sara. This is for charity. And he walks back to the net.
Sara's first serve is light, and T. crushes it cross court. The audience applauds.
Sara serves harder to Jim, who is barely able to get his racquet on it, and Ethan gets an easy put away at the net. The audience claps again.
Sara serves hard to T. who slams it right back between her and Ethan, neither of them sure which will go for it, and the hesitation loses them the point.
Jim lobs Sara's next serve over Ethan, and T. puts away her return at the net.
Game point, T. hammers Sara's first serve down the baseline, and rushes the net to pounce on Ethan's off balance backhand return.
T. aces all his serves for the next game. And they break Ethan's serve, with Sara staying back at the baseline when it's T. returning, and going up to the net for Jim's returns.
Jim has a kick serve, with lots of topspin, and T. lets nothing past the net.
At 6-0, the first set wasn't much of a contest.
Sara is upset.
I'm not here to play hit and giggle tennis. I want to win. We've got to play the net and force T. to make mistakes. Ethan counters that T. might not be able to check himself, and it could get ugly. Let's find out, she says determinedly.
They switch courts, and Jim catches Sara's eye and shakes his head no at her when he sees her go up to the net for Ethan's serve. She ignores him. And then slams a weak lob that T. tried to go over her. 1-0. Jim's serve. 1-1. T.'s serve 1-2. Sara's serve 1-3. Ethan's serve 2-3, as T. again tries to go over her or cross court, but the angle isn't there, as Ethan serves to his forehand. Jim's serve 2-4.
Sara's serve. She's angry, and later in the game deliberately rockets an overhead smash into Jim's leg. Who makes no expression, even as the audience gasps, but just hobbles back to the baseline.
T. is furious, and his next return hits the net. Sara aces Jim, who can barely move. And goes on to win her serve, with T. either hitting the net or hitting too deep. 3-5.
T. double faults most of his serves, although he does get in a few second serve aces that neither Sara or Ethan can get their racquets on. 4-5.
Ethan's serve. Sara goes up to the net, and Jim looks up at the line judge and asks for a break. Then limps up to Sara. Don't do it, Sara. Get back. She ignores him. He hobbles over to his brother. Don't you dare go headhunting. Let it go. The audience looks worried. And Sara easily puts away T.'s lob, and smiles wickedly. 5-5.
Jim's serve, and he can barely move. 6-5.
Sara's serve 7-5.
Ethan goes up to Jim. Should we call it a draw? Jim smiles at him and clasps him on the shoulder. I surely would like to, but I want my brother to leave his anger on the court. Better play it out. Ethan nods. I'm sorry she hit you. She's ruthless when she's playing tennis. Jim waves it off: part of the game.
Jim loses his serve, unable to give it the kick spin, and it's weak enough that Sara and Ethan are able to play around T. 0-1. Ethan loses his serve, as T. seems to have regained his cool, and is making low percentage shots, going around Sara and winning the points. 1-1. T. aces his serve. 2-1. Sara's serve is a battle, but it's break point when finally T. gets the opportunity he's been looking for and clobbers Ethan when he and Sara rush the net together.
The audience gasps as Ethan gets hit in the chest. He has the wind knocked out of him. T. waits at the baseline, and adjust the strings on his racquet, while Sara helps her shaken partner to his feet. Jim has his hands in his hair, and looks anxious. Then he claps his hand to his racquet, and looks up at the audience, and they join him in applause as Ethan gets back to his feet and nods at Sara. Jim looks back at his brother and then hobbles over to the net, and offers his hand to Ethan, who takes it, and they walk off the court together. 2-2. Sara motions me-you, to T. who nods. She serves and he crushes it. 2-3. He aces all his serves. 2-4. Her serve and she charges the net after. He easily plays around her, until its 0-40, then winds up on break point and lances her in the arm as she rushes the net. The audience is stunned. She bites her lips hard and doesn't cry; just picks up the racquet she's dropped. There's an angry welt on her arm. 2-5. Then goes back to the line. Where he aces all his serves. 2-6. Match. There's a faint smattering of applause, and Sara bursts into tears as she approaches the net to shake his hand.
What happened to you, Teisha? He says nothing and walks off the court looking straight ahead.
***
That's what I see happening, if we play this game straight, brother.
T. is listening in silence, picturing it in his mind.
You'll have lost her good opinion forever, and might even destroy her future career.
So how do you want me to play it, Jim?
A couple weeks before the match, you need to sprain your left wrist. No, don't actually do it. Just fake it and go see the athletic trainer with the list of symptoms I'll give you. You'll wear a blue athletic bandage on that wrist, and serve underhand. You'll still crush the returns and make incredible passing shots, and make Sara work for each of the overhead lobs when she's at the net. We still might win, but either way, it'll make for great tennis for the fans. And after the game, win or lose, you'll hug her, and smile and tell her that you've missed her, and that you wish her well. Then the ball will be in her court. Even if she sticks with Brey, she's always going to remember you as her first love, and you'll have a nationwide fan base to launch your pro career.
So how do I let her know what I'm feeling? T. asks finally.
I'll arrange it with her uncle so that you'll give the welcoming speech at the country club afterwards. You'll show them that healing is possible, and play the jig from Last of the Mohicans, one handed, maybe finish it, if you can with the bandaged wrist. It'll be subtle, but someone there will get it, and she'll learn of it, she'll understand and admire you the more for your restraint.
I'll start practicing, T. says, as they pull up to the gate of the manse.