Lex and Lu

by J Santiago

  “Do you have something pending right now or are you just trying to be prepared?” she asked.

  “I want to be prepared. We’ll have an injury, no doubt. I’d like to have you waiting in the wings.”

  “I do not travel,” she said bluntly.

  If he thought it peculiar, he hid it well. “That’s not a problem. We tend to keep our injured players here rather than have them make trips with us.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Do you have any questions for me, Dr. Knight?”

  “Do you have a space for me to come to you?”

  “I figured you could come to us at our training grounds when needed.”

  “That’s actually what I prefer.”

  “Have you been?” he asked.

  Lu felt confused. “Have I been where?”

  “Have you been to an English football game?”

  Lu smiled. “No I haven’t.”

  “Well, that’s the first order of business, isn’t it?”

  “Ah, I don’t know.”

  “We play tomorrow night. I insist that you come as my guest. It will give you a chance to see the facility and watch a game.”

  “Evenings are hard, Mr. Helms. I have a daughter.” She watched him take a quick glance at her left hand.

  “I would of course want you to bring your family.”

  “It’s just my daughter and me.”

  “Come, please. It’s actually a big game for us. I think the excitement will rival your football atmosphere.” He was teasing her, and she found it quite endearing, really.

  “OK, we’ll come.”

  “How old is your daughter?”

  “Nine,” she answered.

  “And does she like soccer?” he inquired.

  “Yes, actually, she does,” although Lu kept the reason for that to herself.

  “I’ll send a car for you prior to the game so we can tour and you can get a look around.”

  “Thank you. That’s perfect.”

  He called for the check as they talked about inconsequential things. Once he paid, he waited for her to stand and then escorted her to the door at the front of the restaurant by way of his hand at the small of her back. His hand left his imprint as she felt the warmth of it through her sweater. Lu could feel people watching him, recognition quick to dawn on their faces. As they made their way forward, Lu thought that she must have a thing for soccer players as she felt herself drawn to him. Then, as quickly as it appeared, she reined it in because she was about to be employed by him.

  As they exited the restaurant, Mr. Helms stopped and held out his hand. “Dr. Knight, I appreciate your time. And I look forward to seeing your tomorrow. You are in for a treat as we are playing our archrivals, so it should be a festive atmosphere.”

  Lu held out her hand and they shook. “I look forward to seeing my first in-person English Premier League game.”

  “Hopefully, it will captivate your imagination,” he said, smiling. “We always enjoy this rivalry. Ah, our archrival features an American, but you can’t root for them tomorrow.”

  Lu felt some of the color leach from her cheeks. “You’re the first, so you’ll lay claim to my loyalties.”

  “Yes, well, as much as I hate to play against him, Lex Pellitteri is always fun to watch.”

  It kept running through her mind like a mantra. Lex Pellitteri is always fun to watch. Lex Pellitteri is always fun to watch. Over and over again until she felt like she might be going a bit crazy. Dropping her head into her hands as she sat at her kitchen table, she thought frantically of a way to get out of going to the game tomorrow night. In all the years that they’d known each other, Lu had never seen him play in person—and had only watched a few plays on TV before her heart would turn in on itself and she would have to turn the channel. As kids, Lex and Pete were gone every Saturday to some sporting event. Soccer for Lex, while Pete mixed it up and played a variety of sports. But going to watch Lex and Pete play wasn’t what they did. They were girls. They didn’t want to go sit at some park during the weekends. Not that the boys would have even thought to invite them.

  When Lex started playing more competitively, all of his events were out of town. At first, he would leave for weekends. Depending on Pete’s schedule, usually Mr. P. would take Lex and Dr. J. would stay in town with Pete. By the time they were together, Lex was playing at such a competitive level that he never played in Sarasota. Oh, she’d seen him with his soccer ball, she’d seen him do his dance, she’d seen him practice. The upshot of it was she had never actually seen him play soccer live, in the flesh. While she felt the irony of going to see him play the first time as the guest of his opponent, she could only lay the blame for that at his feet, as she wouldn’t have been there, in this predicament, if it weren’t for his high-handedness.

  Then the flowers caught her eye. Pushing her hand in her pocket, she took out the card and reread it, a smile on her face. She needed to thank him. She struggled to decide if she should tell him that she would be at the game. Grabbing her phone, she shot him a quick text.

  Thanks for the flowers. My favorite.

  She glanced at the time and realized that if she called Willa now, she might catch her before she went to work. Selecting her name, she opted for FaceTime.

  “Hey,” Willa said, a big smile on her face.

  Lu had to admit, it threw her a bit. “Hey yourself. You seem awfully chipper.”

  “You got chipper from one word?”

  “No, from the big-ass smile on your face. Did I tell you how much I love FaceTime?” she smirked.

  “Ha. Yes, it does remove some of the mystery, and actually freedom, of talking on the phone.”

  “That’s right. You can’t roll your eyes at me without me knowing.”

  “I’m fairly certain that the tone of my voice, as you just pointed out, gave away my eye-rolling,” Willa responded good-naturedly.

  Lu looked at the phone. Turned it upside down, jiggled it a bit.

  “What the hell are you doing? That’s making me nauseous,” Willa bitched.

  “I was looking for my sullen big sister. Do you know where I can find her?”

  “I think the sullen got fucked out of her,” Willa quipped.

  Lu laughed. “I bet it did.”

  “So how was the lunch?” Willa asked. “This time-difference thing still throws me, and I didn’t know when to call.

  Lu propped her phone up on some books on the table. “Lunch was good,” and Lu couldn’t help the big grin.

  “Now who’s looking like the cat that ate the canary?” Willa teased.

  “I’m excited. I was nervous at first, but I think this is a great opportunity.”

  “I’m proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Will,” Lu said, taking a moment to collect herself after the surprise of her sister’s compliment. “So some interesting things have happened.”

  “And?”

  “I received some congratulatory flowers.”

  “From who?”

  “Whom.”

  “Yeah, yeah, whom.”

  “You’d never know your mother is an English professor.”

  “Thank God!”

  “Ha. One set was from Malcolm Helms.”

  “By the way, Sky and I Googled him. Wow!”

  “Yes, wow. The second set was from Lex.”

  Willa leaned back, away from the phone, as if she were trying to get out of someone’s way. “Well, isn’t he just full of surprises this week,” she commented.

  “What do you mean surprises? Were you going for plural?”

  “He was here Sunday night.”

  Suddenly, it was Lu’s turn to flinch. “What do you mean here?”

  “I mean he showed up at my door Sunday night, needing a place to crash,” Willa reported matter-of-factly.

  “O … K,” Lu said slowly, struggling to understand this turn of events. She didn’t want to sound like a petulant middle-school girl with a crush who nagged for information about the guy she
liked. “Did you talk?”

  Willa paused. “Yes and no.”

  Again, Lu restrained herself. Willa could take secrets to the grave. Her vault of gossip and facts that had been handed to her over the years overflowed with both trivial and important secrets. If Lex told Willa something in confidence, Lu would never be able to pry it out of her. A tiny fissure of jealousy snaked through her. Willa and Lex had a good number of confidences that Lu had never been privy to. It hurt her that when he needed someone, he’d shown up on Willa’s doorstep.

  “Did you make up?” Lu asked, thinking that perhaps Willa would feel that she could answer that question.

  “To be honest, Lu, we didn’t talk much. He showed up saying he needed a place to crash. And I could never turn him away. Not you, or him, or Pete. Too much history.”

  “It’s not like he couldn’t have stayed at a hotel,” Lu remarked snidely.

  “No doubt. But I think he needed to be some place familiar.”

  Again, Lu reined in her hurt. Seeking solace from the loneliness creeping into her, Lu told Willa her other news. “Mr. Helms invited me to a soccer game tomorrow night.”

  “Well that ought to be interesting and fun. Will you actually be with him? Because that could be promising,” she said, winking at Lu.

  “I’m not sure about with him. As his guest. But here’s the rub …”

  “Come on, spit it out, Lu.”

  “His club is playing Lex’s. Tomorrow night I’m going to watch Lex play soccer.”

  Willa’s head dropped to the table. Banging it lightly a couple of times, she picked it up, blue eyes dancing and peering into the phone as if she could get into Lu’s face. “I give up. Just be careful.”

  Lu pulled back from the phone again. “What? Who are you?”

  Willa shook her head. “Lu, I can tell you what to do. I can tell you what to not do. I can keep trying to control the universe. Unfortunately, I keep getting outmaneuvered. I tell you not to have sex with him. You do it anyway. I tell you not to go to England. You do it anyway. You were drunk texting with him the other night. What the fuck was that about? I mean, shit, Lu.” Running her hand through her short hair in frustration, Willa looked at her sister. “Then he shows up here—Lex but not Lex. Not our mischievous, laughing boy, and he kinda breaks my ever-expanding heart.”

  Lu didn’t say anything, just peered at her sister through the lens of her phone, vaguely wishing they weren’t able to have this conversation face to face. She wanted to speak, but had nothing to say.

  “Here’s the thing,” Willa continued, “when I slept with Pete this weekend, I cut the cord. I can’t take on your burdens anymore—”

  “I have never asked you to—”

  “You didn’t have to ask, Lu. I love you dearly, but I need to put my energy into Pete—not you and Lex. You two have to figure that out on your own.”

  “Point taken.”

  “Call me after the game, OK?”

  “Yup,” Lu said, detached. “Talk to you tomorrow.” Lu was about to disconnect.

  “Wait!” Willa cried.

  “What?”

  “I know I said I wouldn’t interfere but—he’s hurting. So go easy on him.”

  Lu almost fell out of her chair. “Seriously?”

  “This is what sex has done to me. Turned me into a big ball of mush. Take advantage. You know this shit won’t last.” With a wink, she disconnected, leaving Lu feeling like she had stepped into an alternate universe.

  32

  “Big game tonight,” remarked the guard as Lex made his way off the pitch, into the locker room.

  “Yes, sir,” Lex remarked, offering him his patented smile. He’d been on the field for a while. As was his habit, he arrived early in the day and conducted his own pregame warm-up prior to the team workout. Today was no different, even though he was suffering from a nasty case of jet lag. He wasn’t quite sure what made him think to make that trip this past weekend. He’d been shocked that his mother had attended Lu’s graduation, as he thought he’d find her at home, with the Knights’ house empty beside theirs. Shaking it off, as he’d done since their conversation ended, he continued on his way.

  He wasn’t surprised to find Malcolm Helms waiting for him at the entrance of the locker room.

  “Lex,” he said as they grabbed hands and man hugged.

  “Mal. Are you consorting with the enemy before the game?” Lex said, smiling. Malcolm Helms was one of Lex’s favorite people. He’d been a brilliant player who left when he was at the top of his game. Although they’d never broached the subject, Lex was fairly certain that he’d wanted to leave while he was still on top. He’d been well into his coaching career when Lex arrived on the English soccer scene. Even though Lex had been on a rival team, he’d taken him under his wing and given him a lot of solicited and unsolicited advice regarding his career.

  “Walk with me,” Malcolm said, placing his hand out as if to escort Lex where he wanted him to go.

  “How are you?” Lex asked.

  “Well. Your contract’s coming up.”

  “Really?” Lex said, his face resounding with surprise, as if he didn’t know.

  “Still a smartass,” Malcolm remarked.

  Cocking his eyebrow and smiling, Lex responded, “Of course.”

  “I’d like to talk to you and Caroline. Give you some options.”

  Lex shrugged. “You know where to find Caroline.”

  “I do. But I’ve been having a difficult time tracking you down lately.”

  Lex nodded, the smile leaving his face. “Been an interesting couple of months.”

  “I am sorry about the loss of your father.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate the flowers you sent to my mother,” Lex remarked, reaching out and touching his shoulder. “Really.”

  “You going to take it easy on my boys tonight?”

  “Ha. I think I should be asking that question of you. I think last time we played I struggled with your defense.” Lex knew that Malcolm had had a hand in coaching that game. “It had your name all over it.”

  “Let’s see how that works tonight,” his arrogance present, Malcolm smiled.

  “Yes, let’s,” Lex said. Turning back to head toward the locker room, he looked back at Malcolm. “See you after the game.”

  Lex would have loved to play for Malcolm, but he had this thing about staying loyal. His club had picked him up when going after an American was not the thing to do. He’d been there his whole career. While the thought of playing for Malcolm Helms appealed to him, he didn’t think he would make the jump. Most of it was loyalty, but some of it was his inability to take on any more change. Still trying to find his way with Nina, navigate his relationship with Lu, and deal with the death of his father, he refused to add learning a new system. Heading back into the locker room, Lex pulled out his iPod and his game face.

  The sensory images that assailed Lu differed little from those she saw at the football games she had attended over the last couple of years. The laughter, the din of the crowd, flashes from cameras, the noise reverberating off of the walls around them, the smell. She couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the feeling of being back in a stadium. She’d missed the adrenaline rush of watching people she knew compete for a victory that they’d trained for. She had to smile a little at the path her career had taken.

  Lu could see the smug look on Malcolm’s face as she smiled at the atmosphere. Even knowing that she was about to watch Lex play couldn’t dim the feeling of excitement of being in the stadium. The fans, the chanting, the cheering all converged to create a bubbling anticipation. When the players entered the field, Lu attempted to keep her eyes off of Lex, but it was impossible. Even if he wasn’t who he was to her, his personality and presence drew your eye. Watching him it felt as though she didn’t know him. He was just as unknown to her as any of the players on the field. The disconcerting notion stayed with her.

  She watched the game sitting on the edge of her seat, caught up in the excite
ment, cheering along with the rest of the crowd. Malcolm patiently explained everything to her and prompted her to watch as plays developed. He called it when Lex came off the left side, headed a ball that came into the center, and scored the only goal of the first half. Lu couldn’t help but cheer and Malcolm even appreciated Lex’s skill, saying as much to Lu.

  “I hate playing against him and have been doing my best to get him to come to us when his contract expires,” he commented.

  “Will he do it?” she asked, feigning indifference when she wanted to drill him for information.

  Malcolm laughed good-heartedly. “Probably not, but I’m going to do my damnedest. So how does this compare to your American football?”

  She was thankful that she didn’t hear any condescension in his voice, only curiosity. “I hate not knowing all of the rules.”

  “You’ll pick it up as you watch more. I think I see a fan in the making.”

  Lu laughed. “You may be right.”

  Enjoying every minute of her night, Lu almost wished she wasn’t planning on going to work for Malcolm Helms. She enjoyed his company, not to mention he was hot. She could totally see enjoying herself with him. But it wasn’t something she’d pursue, knowing that their relationship would be professional. His attentiveness allowed her to forget that the Lex Pellitteri on the field had long ago stopped being the boy that she loved. Without realizing it, she got caught up in the excitement of watching him play and felt a pride that she knew she had no right to feel. Even those rooting against him appreciated his skill.

  In the eighty-seventh minute, with the game tied, Lu felt rather than saw Malcolm’s body tense. She focused in, trying to see what he was anticipating.

  He leaned in. “Watch Pellitteri.”

  Like she needed to be told, she thought. She watched Lex come from the right. He received the ball but passed it quickly back, breaking to the middle. The ball came back to him. He trapped the ball and shot, sending it sailing past the goalie into the back left post, opposite from where he kicked. She wanted to jump in the air, but she contained herself out of respect, although the smile on her face gave her away. Lex looked heavenward and raised his left hand in the air, pointing his finger toward the sky. Then he brought his arm down and kissed the inside of his wrist. With three minutes added to the time, the last five minutes of the game seemed to fly by and before she knew it, the game was over. Lu’s eyes stayed trained on Lex.