left others baffled at times.
Also, playing against Luella still produced good entertainment, Gabriella tried to cheer herself up. She recalled an evening in the off-season when Lulu and she had watched some of their matches for learning purposes, but had to stop as they were laughing so hard at the commentators’ confusion over their resemblance. They simply couldn’t tell the twins apart, mixed up the names and corrected each other constantly.
Gabriella smiled, then finally nodded. Luella was right. She had to let her win this time. She would later watch the final and find consolation in Sam’s and Hugh’s hilarious, helpless commenting.
***
The cool night air caressed her naked skin and gave her goose-bumps. It was getting cold, but Amanda felt no urge to close the window. She had no intention to get up or even move an inch or talk. She just wanted to be held by Felicia in the stillness of the night.
There would never be enough time for them, Amanda thought. Even though she had already decided to stay for a couple of days longer after she had lost her match today. It was the only way to squeeze out a few more hours with Felicia. The singer would also stay for some days. Not because of Amanda though. Unlike the Australian, Ted Curry was winning his matches and was still in the tournament. Felicia would sit in his box and pretend to support him like she had done today.
Yes, it bothered Amanda, even though she didn’t say it. Since the one day when they had met, Felicia had never sat court-side for Amanda’s matches again. That was just fair, Amanda had to admit. With her record racing up the charts, Felicia generally attracted a cloud of photographers and people while Amanda was happy to avoid the spotlight whenever possible. And still – the relationship had become an affair of closed hotel room doors, as Felicia spend most of her free time posing with Ted, supporting him at his matches or even joining his practice. Not once had Felicia joined Amanda and her friends when they went out in the evening. Not during the Australian Open and not here in Indian Wells. Her friends had already stopped asking about Felicia, assuming it was just an affair and nothing serious.
“Have you thought about Charleston?” Amanda had asked Felicia to join her for a week at the Family Circle Cup. Laying on her side and watching the sky outside of the window Amanda could feel Felicia shifting uncomfortably behind her back.
“I’m not sure yet, baby,” Felicia answered. “I don’t think I can cancel my appointments in New York. Maybe I’ll make it for a day or two.”
“Maybe for my birthday?”
Amanda felt cheap mentioning the date. She had suspected that Felicia had forgotten about it. It was pathetic to blackmail your own girlfriend, but what could she do?
“Sure,” Felicia chirped. “I’d love to be there. I’ll see, what I can do.”
Amanda turned around to face her girlfriend.
“I just want to spend more time with you,” she explained. “I understand that you have to plan your European tour and have to work with the musicians and all. And,” she paused to take a deep breath, “of course, you have to spend some time with Ted to cover for him. That’s very nice of you. But in fact, I want you to spend more time with me . Not with Ted.”
There, she had said it. She had blurted it out and now waited for a surprised Felicia to respond. She was sure that Felicia understood the loneliness and longing she felt on the tour. Felicia spent so many months herself now on the road. She was suddenly glad she had said it.
Felicia reached out and took Amanda’s hand.
“Well, I know you don’t like Ted,” Felicia said. “But he’s the reason I can be here with you, right?”
Amanda was aghast. Felicia had gotten in all wrong! Besides, Amanda liked Ted, but she didn’t want him to be the reason Felicia was here. She began to shake her head but Felicia had already pushed her back onto the
Also, playing against Luella still produced good entertainment, Gabriella tried to cheer herself up. She recalled an evening in the off-season when Lulu and she had watched some of their matches for learning purposes, but had to stop as they were laughing so hard at the commentators’ confusion over their resemblance. They simply couldn’t tell the twins apart, mixed up the names and corrected each other constantly.
Gabriella smiled, then finally nodded. Luella was right. She had to let her win this time. She would later watch the final and find consolation in Sam’s and Hugh’s hilarious, helpless commenting.
***
The cool night air caressed her naked skin and gave her goose-bumps. It was getting cold, but Amanda felt no urge to close the window. She had no intention to get up or even move an inch or talk. She just wanted to be held by Felicia in the stillness of the night.
There would never be enough time for them, Amanda thought. Even though she had already decided to stay for a couple of days longer after she had lost her match today. It was the only way to squeeze out a few more hours with Felicia. The singer would also stay for some days. Not because of Amanda though. Unlike the Australian, Ted Curry was winning his matches and was still in the tournament. Felicia would sit in his box and pretend to support him like she had done today.
Yes, it bothered Amanda, even though she didn’t say it. Since the one day when they had met, Felicia had never sat court-side for Amanda’s matches again. That was just fair, Amanda had to admit. With her record racing up the charts, Felicia generally attracted a cloud of photographers and people while Amanda was happy to avoid the spotlight whenever possible. And still – the relationship had become an affair of closed hotel room doors, as Felicia spend most of her free time posing with Ted, supporting him at his matches or even joining his practice. Not once had Felicia joined Amanda and her friends when they went out in the evening. Not during the Australian Open and not here in Indian Wells. Her friends had already stopped asking about Felicia, assuming it was just an affair and nothing serious.
“Have you thought about Charleston?” Amanda had asked Felicia to join her for a week at the Family Circle Cup. Laying on her side and watching the sky outside of the window Amanda could feel Felicia shifting uncomfortably behind her back.
“I’m not sure yet, baby,” Felicia answered. “I don’t think I can cancel my appointments in New York. Maybe I’ll make it for a day or two.”
“Maybe for my birthday?”
Amanda felt cheap mentioning the date. She had suspected that Felicia had forgotten about it. It was pathetic to blackmail your own girlfriend, but what could she do?
“Sure,” Felicia chirped. “I’d love to be there. I’ll see, what I can do.”
Amanda turned around to face her girlfriend.
“I just want to spend more time with you,” she explained. “I understand that you have to plan your European tour and have to work with the musicians and all. And,” she paused to take a deep breath, “of course, you have to spend some time with Ted to cover for him. That’s very nice of you. But in fact, I want you to spend more time with me . Not with Ted.”
There, she had said it. She had blurted it out and now waited for a surprised Felicia to respond. She was sure that Felicia understood the loneliness and longing she felt on the tour. Felicia spent so many months herself now on the road. She was suddenly glad she had said it.
Felicia reached out and took Amanda’s hand.
“Well, I know you don’t like Ted,” Felicia said. “But he’s the reason I can be here with you, right?”
Amanda was aghast. Felicia had gotten in all wrong! Besides, Amanda liked Ted, but she didn’t want him to be the reason Felicia was here. She began to shake her head but Felicia had already pushed her back onto the
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