by Blobel, Iris
Erik glared at him and eyed him suspiciously for a long moment. “How’s the knee going?”
“Yeah, the healing is coming along well.” He had another sip of his water before he went on. “I can forget about a career in baseball, though. That dream’s gone down the drain.”
“Sorry, mate.”
Oliver let out a long breath. Yes, so was he. All he’d wanted for years was to make it big in baseball. It was starting to become popular in Australia. They’d even had a game between the LA Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks in Sydney to open their season. Unlike what Mark and Ty always claimed, it wasn’t about the money. If it had been about the money, he’d have left long ago for America. For him it was about bringing this game into the spotlight. Making it popular in Australia.
But this dream was over.
“Will you give me her number in Perth? She won’t answer her mobile and there’s one thing I’ve gotta do.”
Erik hesitated. “Only if you tell me why?”
Pinching his nose with his fingers, he whispered, “To apologise.”
“What for?”
“For Christ’s sake, Erik.”
“What for?” the coach persisted.
Oliver moved away from the bench and walked back into the lounge room where he sat on the couch.
What for?
How was he supposed to tell his coach, Tamara’s uncle, the real reason for his apology? He’d behaved like a dog?
Erik followed him and was now leaning against the doorjamb.
“I need to apologise for walking out on her after I’d slept with her,” he said.
A litany of curses echoed in the room before Erik turned and left.
“Well, that went well,” he said to himself as he slouched back into the pillow.
***
Tamara watched the fountain in front of her and let the sound of the water relax her. The play of the water as it rose to grand heights, only to fall again to make the journey all over cast a spell over her. Gazing at it, she seemed to go into a trance for a small while, as she simply sat there and let the world go by. In the far distance she heard the kids yelling and laughing, the buzzing of the insects, the birds were chirping and the Fremantle Docker blew in the cool breeze. She took her bag and unpacked her lunch as well as a can of Coke.
She’d always loved coming to Kings Park, and so had Jason.
Thinking back, she remembered the day he had proposed to her. They’d been going out for a few years and had moved into a house together only weeks earlier. She couldn’t have been happier.
There he’d sat on the opposite side of the fountain she sat at today. He’d brought along a huge picnic, and that should’ve made her suspicious. Jason had never been big on showing off. Basics were his motto. The way he’d dressed (but she admitted that his basic had been extremely sexy), the way they’d lived, travelled, and the way he’d gone through life in general. Basic, but to the fullest.
Tamara wiped away a tear when she thought of the ring he’d given her. She held her hand in front of her where it used to be on her left finger. It’d been hard to remove it, but it was part of her moving on.
“Tammy snookum,” he’d said while Tamara had looked through all the containers of food.
“Yes?” she’d replied absentmindedly.
“Tammy!”
She’d looked up and noticed his red cheeks.
“I want to marry…I mean, do you want to marry me?”
Taken aback by his confused outburst of a proposal, she’d lifted her eyebrows, but before she’d been able to say anything, he’d said, “Crap,” and had run off.
Even more confused, she’d watched him as he’d run to the car, but thankfully, he’d returned in only a few minutes.
“Okay,” he’d said. “Let’s try this again.”
He’d opened a small velvety, aubergine coloured box. The ring inside was beautiful. She’d never seen anything like it. And true to his outlook on life, even the ring was basic. But amazingly basic.
“Tam, will you marry me?”
A smile tugged at her lips when Tamara remembered how she’d burst into laughter at the most awkward and botched up marriage proposal ever.
She’d moved closer and kissed him. “Yes. I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
Their kisses grew hotter and more intimate, until an old lady had nudged Jason with her walking stick.
“Young man,” she’d said. “I’m not nosy, but I did see your proposal, but with all your happiness, don’t forget there are children around here in the park.”
The lady had given them a wink and said, “Congratulations.” Then had walked off.
It’d been one of the best days in her life. Until the wedding, of course.
Tamara let the tears fall as she ate her lunch. Today was her goodbye to Jason. He’d always be in her heart, and he’d always be part of her life, but it was time to step out of the life she’d had with him and start something new.
She thought of Oliver and something inside her ached. It’d been so hard to leave him. She’d told her parents about him. As much as they hadn’t understood her reasons for leaving him, they’d accepted them. She’d even come clean about Oliver with Erik. Thinking of her conversation with her uncle, she assumed he’d be more pleased than upset that she wouldn’t pursue a relationship with his star recruit. He kept her up-to-date with Oliver’s surgery and recovery, as well as the bad news that Oliver wouldn’t be able to play baseball professionally anymore. But all hadn’t been that bad. Offers to coach other teams had flooded in already from around Australia, American colleges, as well as a few international ones. She’d had no idea how good he must’ve been.
Tamara’s phone buzzed, and she answered her mother’s call.
“Darling, where are you?”
“Kings Park,” she replied.
There was a moment of silence, and Tamara assumed her mum knew why she’d come here.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Thanks, Mum.”
“Have you finished at Uni for today?”
Tamara had started a part time course at the Uni to study teaching children with special needs. Another point on her moving on list. No more numbers, but lots of people. Small people.
Looking up into the distance, she replied, “Yes, I only had to pick up my assignment and grab a few books from the library.”
“Oh good then. Can you go past Mrs. Schneider on the way home and pick up a dozen eggs for me?”
Tamara smiled. Living at home was nice. Being part of the family was helping her heal. “Will do, Mum.”
She stood and took the small European coin out of her bag. They’d found it during one of their travels to the south when they’d had a flat tyre. It’d become their lucky charm. She kissed it and flicked it into the water.
“Love you always, Jason,” she whispered.
***
Not sure whether he was doing the right thing, Oliver knocked at his coach’s door. There was something he had to get off his chest.
Jenny opened the door. “Oliver! How good to see you. Come on in.” She stepped aside to let him in. “How’s that knee going?”
It’d been a few weeks since the surgery and although he was pain free, Oliver had to keep his time on the legs to a minimum. But it was healing well.
“Oliver!” Erik shouted from the back of the house. “I’m in the study. C’mon in.”
He nodded to Jenny and quickly said, “Improving every day.” Then he joined Erik in the study.
“How are things?” Erik asked.
“All right. Have you heard about the letter from management?”
Nodding, Erik placed his arms on the desk and entwined his fingers. “Yes, I heard,” he said with a solemn voice. “How do you feel about it?”
Oliver shrugged. Management had offered him an assistant coaching role at the club. It’d been the latest offer of the many he’d received. He couldn’t believe how much the news of his early reti
rement due to injury had spread. There’d been a few offers from the US he wanted to check out, a college near New York as well as one in Michigan. He was very tempted. And then the club had offered him an assistant coaching job with a decent salary attached to it.
When he’d received the diagnosis after the surgery that he wouldn’t be able to play on a professional level anymore, he’d locked himself in the house for a week not speaking to anybody. He’d been so tired and defeated by everything that simply getting through the days was a struggle. It’d been Friday night after he’d come home that Markus and Ty had ignored his wish to be alone and stayed with him until he talked. It’d been a relief to finally talk about the mucked-up-future ahead of him.
“I’m okay. It’s been a long road, and I’m not yet at the end of it, but I’m getting there a little more each day.”
“Very philosophical for you.”
Oliver laughed. “Spent too much time with my parents.” He let out a long breath before he asked, “How would you feel having me fucking up your days not on the field, but right next to you?”
Chuckling, Erik leaned back into his seat. “To be honest, I had to bounce that thought around my head a couple of times. Initially, I was furious, but the idea is growing on me. I think you’d be good with the younger players.”
Relief spread through Oliver, and he was excited that his coach had already started on plans. “You sure you want me to be with the young ones? Mum reckons I’m a bad influence on my nephew.”
Erik nodded. “That thought came to mind as well.” He paused for a minute and looked at Oliver. “I think it’ll do you good to work with the boys. And in all honesty, I reckon you’d be a great coach to them.”
“I’m surprised by your faith in me.”
His coach chuckled again. “Me too, mate. Me too.”
There was a moment’s silence, before Oliver said, “There’s another reason I came to talk to you.”
Erik’s eyes widened, but he remained quiet.
“It’s about Tamara.”
When his coach rubbed his hands over his face, all of Oliver’s best intentions to come clean dissipated.
“I…we…” Oliver sighed. “Look, yes, I admit we had a thing. It kinda happened and—” For the first time in a long time he was actually lost for words. It was harder than he thought. He rested his arms on his knees and stared at the floor. After exhaling a long breath, he said with a shrug, “I miss her.”
“It kinda happened?”
The disapproval was obvious in Erik’s voice. Oliver couldn’t blame him. He’d been warned more than once.
“How many times did I tell you to keep your hands off her?” Erik asked through gritted teeth.
Oliver rubbed his face before he sat up straight to meet his coach’s stare. “I know,” he whispered. “And I’m sorry. But I swear, I didn’t hurt—” The day he’d left her behind in her bed flashed through his mind.
“You were saying,” Erik coaxed him.
“Fuck,” Oliver muttered.
His coach stood with such force the chair nearly tipped over.
Quickly, Oliver stood as well and held up his hands. “Woah, I didn’t…I mean…for fuck’s sake, Coach, I miss her. I fucked up, and I want to have another chance.”
Silence hung in the air, and Oliver carefully watched as Erik’s attitude seemed to back off a little.
“Look,” he said, breaking the silence. “I didn’t play with her. Quite the opposite. I was hoping for something…you know—” Rubbing the back of his neck, he said barely audible, “She’s the one I want.”
Erik’s fury was still obvious. His jaw was clenched, his fists curled at his sides, and Oliver was sure there was a hint of anger in Erik’s eyes. He watched his coach turn and walk over to the window. He stayed quiet, not sure how to handle the situation.
“She told me she wanted to return to Perth to move on.”
Even though Erik couldn’t see him, Oliver still nodded. “I remember her saying she’d moved to a different town, but brought her old life along.”
Erik turned slowly and looked at Oliver. The anger and fury in his eyes had eased. “She told you?”
“We talked. We talked a lot.”
“Did you hurt her?”
Oliver pinched his lips with his thumb and finger. “I was an asshole. I asked her about Jason, but when she inquired about Erin I snapped.” He stepped closer to the desk. “That’s why I need to apologise.”
“Jenny and I never had kids. Tammy is like a daughter to me.” He let out a breath and sat down. “We’ve spent lots of holidays with her and her parents.”
Oliver’s heart started racing when he watched his coach looking through his drawers and grabbed an address book.
“That’s her phone number and that’s her current address. She’s moved back to her parents. I’ll let my sister Britt know you’ll be in contact.”
Relief rushed through Oliver. “Thanks, mate. I really appreciate it.”
As Erik handed him the little note, he said, “Don’t stuff this one up. I swear, if you do, I’ll do my best to take the offer off the table. If you have the job by then, I’ll make your life not worth living.”
Oliver chuckled, but when he saw Erik’s stern look, he stopped. “Understood.”
“Now get out of here before I change my mind!”
“Again, thanks.”
Oliver turned and left as fast as he was able to. He had to organise a ticket to Perth. No way would he stuff up this opportunity.
Chapter Eight
A week later, Oliver landed in Perth early Friday morning. It’d been a busy week with doctors’ appointments, a quick trip to his parents’ for the weekend to discuss the various offers, as well as a few nights out with Markus and Ty to get their opinions as well. Not on Tamara. He hadn’t told anybody about his intentions to fly to Perth instead of giving her a call. But to discuss the offer to coach along Erik. The guys agreed that, considering his playing career was over, and he didn’t want to move overseas, this was ideal. The money was okay, but it was here in Melbourne, and it was close to what he loved doing.
Thursday morning he’d met with the management to talk through details and agreed to give it a go as soon as he was cleared by the doctors to work again.
Oliver exited the plane, and only a few minutes later grabbed his bag from the baggage claim hall. He spent the next twenty minutes signing the paperwork for his car before he finally drove to the hotel. He’d booked a small hotel outside Perth that was close enough to the address he’d been given. The intention was to check in, have a quick shower, and then call in at Tamara’s. Another wave of doubt rose within him, whether he should simply show up at her door or call, but he decided he needed to see her.
His phone buzzed and the display showed him it was Ty.
“Hey, mate, where are you? I’ve been trying to get hold of you all morning.”
Oliver walked over to the window with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Considering how much to say, he finally said, “I’m in Perth.”
There was a brief silence, before Ty answered. “Tamara?”
“I’ve gotta do it, mate.”
“Do it or her?”
Oliver chuckled even though he felt like placing his hands around his friend’s neck. “Fuck off. What d’you want?”
“Katie’s gone to her parents for the weekend. I thought it’d be a good opportunity to catch up.”
Oliver’s chuckle turned into a laugh. “You’re spending too much time with a girl. You only saw me the other day.”
He was able to hear his friend breathing. “Mate, I just wanna make sure you’re okay. Tell me what you’re doing in the west?”
“Seeing Tamara. I thought we had that established.”
“Why?”
Oliver leaned his head against the cold window and closed his eyes. Wasn’t that the hundred thousand dollar question—why?
He’d fallen for her, and he missed her. Every day for the last few we
eks, she was the one he thought of when he woke in the morning, and she was the one he thought of when he went to sleep at night. And even if she wanted to never see him again, good manners told him he needed to apologise. Possibly not good manners, but his ego needed it.
“I need to apologise, Ty.”
“Mate, I’m sure they have phones in the west,” his friend said.
Opening his eyes again, he took in the view in front of him. The pool on the ground floor was busy with young kids splashing around, and their parents sunbathing on the lounge chairs. In the distance, he saw a park with a small fountain feature. It looked like a nice area to live in.
“Oliver?”
Ty’s voice hauled him back.
“Tyson, you travelled eight hours to talk to Katie when the newspaper reported all this crap about you and Anita,” he said. “This is a lousy four hour flight. Out of all people you should understand.”
Oliver listened as he heard the coffee machine brewing in the background, and he made a note to get some coffee before going to Tamara’s.
“No worries, mate,” Tyson finally said. “Good luck. Give me a call when you have a moment and let us know how things went.”
Oliver dressed, grabbed the car keys, and left. It took him about half an hour until he arrived at his destination—Tamara’s. Taking a couple of deep breaths to calm him down, he switched off the engine and got out of the car. As he shut the door, his gaze wandered up and down the streets, taking in the neighbourhood. It looked like a fine area. Nervously, he double checked the house number before he walked towards the door. It seemed to take him an eternity to get there.
He knocked, and a petite woman with very short, grey hair and intense blue eyes, which reminded him of Tamara, opened the door.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. I’m Oliver—”
The lady smiled. “I know who you are. Erik told me you’d be coming.” She held out her hand and said, “I’m Britt Curtis, Tamara’s mother.”
Oliver shook her hand. “Nice meeting you, Mrs. Curtis.”
“Please call me Britt.” She stood aside and opened the door. “Come on in, Oliver. Tamara should be home soon. She had to drop something off at the university.”