A Shot at Gold

by Nicole Pyland

  “I couldn’t go,” Elodie said.

  “What do you mean, you couldn’t go? I just talked to you last night. You said you’d be there. We planned this whole thing. God, you’re my fucking coach, Elodie.”

  “I couldn’t go!”

  Madison had never heard Elodie yell before. The strength of the sound knocked her back a few steps. The look in Elodie’s eyes nearly had her turning around and packing up her things to go. It was the moment after the yell when Madison noticed that darkness in Elodie’s eyes turn to fear that caused her to stay instead.

  “Tell me why,” she said softly.

  “I haven’t been to a tournament since the Olympics.”

  “You weren’t competing today, Elodie,” she reminded her.

  “It doesn’t matter.” Elodie stared off into the space in front of her.

  Madison realized the woman wasn’t going to meet her eye again, so she walked into the living room and stood in front of Elodie, leaving enough space between them. That was when she saw the broken bottle on the kitchen floor.

  “What happened?” Madison asked.

  “Nothing. I just couldn’t go.”

  “Bullshit,” Madison replied.

  “Where do you get off?” Elodie asked.

  “Did you get drunk last night? Were you hungover this morning? Is that why you didn’t show up to the first tournament where–”

  “Fuck you, Madison,” Elodie interjected. “You don’t know my life. You don’t know what I’m going through. You just showed up one day demanding I–”

  “Maybe I don’t know because you don’t tell me,” she fired back.

  “Maybe I don’t have to tell you anything. We just met. You don’t get to learn everything about me. It’s my life. You want me as a coach. This is what you get. It’s why I didn’t stay on at the academy. I let Marshall down because of this. I warned you. I warned you that I’d let you down. I told you I wasn’t ready for this.”

  “When will you be?” Madison asked.

  “Never, probably. Maybe you should take a damn hint.”

  Madison looked at the broken bottle and asked, “El, are you okay? Did you cut yourself or–”

  “What?” Elodie asked, looking up at her, confused.

  “The bottle. Seems to me that it didn’t break itself.” Madison pointed behind Elodie.

  “Oh.” She turned to look at it and then back to Madison. “I’m fine.”

  Madison sighed and said, “Good. Then, I can be mad at you and not feel bad about it. If you really couldn’t do this, you should have told me.”

  “I did tell you.”

  “No, you didn’t. You let me convince you to do it. You didn’t have to agree. You could have told me off at that bar and never heard from me again. You told me to come to your office. Then, you signed a contract to be my coach.”

  “If this is about the money, I’ll give–”

  “I don’t give a shit about the money, Elodie.” She grunted. “I cared about the invitational. I looked like an idiot out there. I showed up as a national champion who could be an Olympian. I showed up after leaving the academy, and I looked like a total idiot. I don’t like looking like an idiot. I couldn’t focus out there. I kept thinking about all the new stuff you’ve tried to teach me, and it mixed with the old stuff. Then, I was worried about you. I thought something bad had happened because you never would have just ditched me in our first tournament together. That couldn’t possibly have happened, right?” Madison took a deep breath. “I care about archery. I love archery. I want to be an Olympian, and I want it this cycle. I’m not a patient person. I wanted to learn from the best, and I found you. You are the best.”

  “I was the best,” Elodie said.

  “No, you still are. You’d see that, too, if you ever actually picked up a bow.” Madison looked into Elodie’s eyes. “Yes, I’ve noticed. You never even touch mine. When was the last time you fired one?”

  “The last shot before I won a gold medal,” the woman replied softly.

  “You are wasting it,” Madison said, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “Wasting what?”

  “Your talent. You’re wasting your ability. You are a natural, El. I know it takes years of training, but you just had it. You were born with it, and I know you left for a reason, but you’re not just wasting your talent right now. You’re wasting everything.”

  “You’re twenty-two years old, Madison. You just graduated from college. You don’t understand.”

  “I understand enough. I’m not some kid. I lost someone, too; you know?” She swallowed hard. “It may seem juvenile to you, but I loved her, and I wanted to marry her one day. There were two things I knew I wanted in my life. She was one of them, and I lost her.”

  “So, you just hang on to the other thing you wanted when you had her?”

  Madison glared at her and said, “I’m not hanging on to anything. I’m doing what I love. I’m making sacrifices like living in this place, because the best archer in the world is here, and I wanted her to show me how to become the best in the world. But she’s too busy not dealing with her own shit to help.” Madison turned to walk away. “I’ll go to a hotel for a night or two. Then, I’ll go home. I need to figure out what I want to do now. Marshall has already given away my slot, so I can’t go to the academy. And I wouldn’t go back anyway because I just embarrassed the shit out of myself. I also didn’t bother talking to other coaches because I didn’t need to.” She turned back around. “You realize you screwed me over, right? I was already behind because I started late, but I was willing to work harder than everyone else. I might miss this Olympic cycle now because of you.”

  “Madison, I–”

  “It’s fine. Don’t bother.” She pointed to the kitchen. “Just keep drowning your sorrows in grocery store wine, throwing the bottles at the wall when they don’t solve the problem, and avoid dealing with your issues.” She opened the front door. “Good luck, Elodie. I hope it works out for you; whatever it is.”

  Madison slammed the door behind her. Maybe that was rude or immature, but right now, she didn’t care. She felt like being both rude and immature. She picked up her bag that she had previously left on the small front porch of the house, and briskly walked to the office. She let herself in, dropped her gear, went into the bedroom, and packed. She didn’t pay attention to what she was grabbing. She probably missed something, but she needed to get out of there. She only paused for a second to go online and reserve a last-minute room at the one hotel in town. Then, she got back into her car and drove there.

  She could have driven straight home, but she couldn’t handle a six-hour drive today. It was already late afternoon. She didn’t want to be driving at night while angry. She checked into the hotel, leaving some of her belongings in the car and only bringing inside what she’d need for the night. Then, she stewed in her anger. She started pacing the room, feeling like punching the wall, and tried to focus on anything other than her anger. How could Elodie have done this to her? How could she have not seen this coming? Elodie hadn’t picked up a bow. She hadn’t demonstrated anything herself that she had wanted Madison to learn. She never talked about her time as an archer. Madison had been naïve. She had thought they were coach and student, yes, but also maybe friends; friends that shared personal things with one another. Madison had told her about Wiley, and she never talked to anyone about her. Yet, Elodie hadn’t bothered to share anything about herself.

  “Hey, Larry,” Madison said an hour later when her phone rang.

  “Hi. Did I miss you or something?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “The invitational,” he replied. “I thought I’d surprise you. I’m here.”

  “You’re here?” she asked.

  Madison had texted Larry a few times since arriving, but she had texted Candace, too. She didn’t call them every day or anything, but it was nice to have a couple of people she could relay the stories of her days to every so often. She was trying to te
st this whole friendship-beyond-college thing. She just hadn’t expected Larry to show up at the invitational, though.

  “I should have told you, but I wasn’t sure I could get away. I remembered you telling me your parents couldn’t come to this one, so I thought I’d be the Madison Fletcher support squad.”

  “I’m not there,” she said, smiling at his offer.

  “Oh. Where are you?”

  “At a hotel a town over,” she replied.

  “Are you done for the day? I was hoping to see you compete. I thought it was an all-day thing today and tomorrow.”

  “It is. I just lost in an early round. That’s the downside to tournaments like this. You can go out in a few arrows or have to stay for the whole event.”

  “Oh, you lost?” Larry asked in a tone that told her he hadn’t been prepared for that.

  “Yeah, I didn’t expect it, either. Are you staying the night?”

  “I got a room at some cheap motel so that I didn’t have to drive back tonight.”

  “Do you want to meet up somewhere and hang out?” she asked.

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “How would you feel about going to a gay bar?”

  “A gay bar?”

  “There’s this place in town that’s called a gay bar, but it’s not like the ones you see in movies or on TV.”

  “I don’t think I’ve noticed gay bars on movies or TV shows,” he said.

  “We must watch different movies and TV shows,” she joked and allowed herself to laugh.

  “If you want to go there, I don’t mind. I can’t say I’ve ever been to a gay bar. I don’t really know what to expect.”

  “It’s just like a regular bar, except that the women might hit on me, and the guys might hit on you.”

  “Got it.” He laughed. “If that’s where you want to go, I’ll be there.”

  ◆◆◆

  An hour or so later, Madison arrived at Doyle’s, choosing to park in the back parking lot instead of the front when she noticed Larry’s car there. She made her way inside, thinking he’d been pretty brave to go in alone. She walked in through the back entrance and saw Larry immediately. He was sitting at the same table she’d sat at last time, with Elodie sitting across from her. Larry was in the chair Elodie had occupied. Madison chastised herself for thinking of the woman that made her so angry. Getting out of the hotel and meeting up with Larry was supposed to help get that woman off her mind.

  “Hey,” she greeted.

  Larry stood up and said, “Hey.”

  Then, he hugged her. Madison hugged him back. He smelled like the aftershave she was pretty sure he used, and surprisingly, she’d missed that scent. She hadn’t given herself much time to reflect on college and miss things about it. She’d gone because it made sense for her to go. She’d gone because she had to, but she hadn’t stopped to think about whether or not she liked the experience. It had always been a means to an end for her.

  “How have you been?” she asked as they both sat down.

  “Good. Good. Bored.” Larry nodded. “It’s school; you know?”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “You?”

  “Well, I’ve been better,” she said.

  “Wait. Let me get us some drinks. What do you want?”

  “No, it’s okay. I’ll get them. You came all this way to watch me compete, and you didn’t even get to do that.” She stood back up. “What do you want?”

  “Just a beer. I’m not picky,” he replied.

  “One second,” she said.

  Madison went to the bar, waited for the bartender to look her way, and ordered Larry his beer and herself a rum and Coke. Then, she turned back around and saw Elodie standing right behind her.

  “I thought you didn’t like rum and Coke,” she said.

  “What are you doing here?” Madison asked.

  “I ran out of wine and didn’t feel like going to the grocery store to buy more.”

  “Well, enjoy your booze. I’m here with a friend,” Madison said.

  “Drinking rum you don’t like?” Elodie asked.

  “It was Wiley’s favorite drink,” Madison replied, gritting her teeth.

  Elodie’s expression changed, and she said, “I didn’t know you’d be here. I honestly just needed to get out of the house, but since you’re here, maybe we should talk.”

  “No, I can’t. I’m here with a friend,” Madison said, nodding toward Larry, who was only a few feet away, pretending not to hear them.

  “Maybe later, then,” the woman replied.

  “I’m not sticking around. I don’t plan on embarrassing myself again, Elodie, or trying to convince you to do something you clearly don’t want to do. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  “Madison, come on. You don’t have to leave.” Elodie sighed.

  “Wouldn’t it be easier for you if I did?” she asked. “I pushed my way into your life, asked you to do something you couldn’t do, and caused all sorts of problems. Don’t worry. I’ll be out of your hair by tomorrow morning. If you’ll excuse me, I’m here to hang out with my friend who came a long way to watch me compete and then didn’t get a chance to. Have a nice life, Elodie.”

  Madison sat down and passed Larry his drink. She didn’t look up but felt Elodie walk to the back of the bar. She took a drink and looked up at Larry.

  “I tried not to listen, but that seemed intense. Ex-girlfriend?”

  “What?” She nearly spat out her drink.

  “No?” Larry shook his head. “Sorry. I don’t know. You were fighting. I thought…”

  “She’s not my girlfriend; ex or otherwise,” Madison replied.

  She swallowed again, wishing she could take back some of the things she had said to Elodie, but at the same time, meaning every last damn one of them. She reluctantly turned her head to see Elodie sitting at the end of the bar. The bartender passed her a glass of wine. Elodie didn’t look up. She picked the glass up off the bar and drank it down, seemingly, in one long gulp.

  “Sorry,” Larry said.

  “So am I,” Madison replied.

  CHAPTER 12

  “So, your days as a lawyer by day and coach by night are already over?” Matt asked.

  “Matt, drop it,” Elodie replied as she pinched the spot between her eyebrows, feeling a headache coming on.

  “What? I miss Madison,” he replied.

  “You spent, like, twenty minutes with her.”

  “No, I didn’t. We hung out a few times. I went outside to watch her shoot. She went to the movies with us once. She’s good people, El,” he offered.

  “Maybe, but I’m obviously not a good coach.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true,” he said, stapling a stack of papers. “What did you do to scare her off?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Really?” He lifted an eyebrow at her.

  “Really. I did absolutely nothing. That was the problem. I didn’t show up where I was supposed to. That’s the story.”

  “Liar. There’s way more to the story than that,” he replied.

  “Nothing I plan on divulging to you. What does my afternoon look like?” she asked, standing up.

  “Pretty light. Why?”

  “Any meetings?”

  “No.”

  “Good. I’m going home. I feel like shit.”

  “Would that have anything to do with the two bottles of wine I noticed on your kitchen table when I stopped by to water the plants earlier?”

  “No, and don’t ask anything else, okay? I’m tired,” she replied.

  “If you don’t mind me saying, El, you’ve got to deal with whatever’s going on with you. Madison was good for you, and you just let her go.”

  “What? She wasn’t good for me. She–”

  “Got you back into the sport you love? Made you laugh? Kept you company? Called you on your shit? From where I’m sitting, that’s all good. And she did all of it. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile since I met you.”

  “Th
at’s not true.”

  “It’s an exaggeration. I’m gay. That’s in my nature.”

  “I’m gay. I don’t–”

  “You’re a lesbian. It’s different. Also, Madison told me, El.”

  “Told you what?” Elodie asked, fearing for the answer.

  “That she’s gay, too.”

  “Oh,” she said.

  “Oh? That’s it?”

  “What else should I have said?”

  “She’s hot, El. I know you noticed. I noticed.”

  “Matt!”

  “What? She’s cute, too, and smart. She’s very funny. Did you spend any time actually getting to know her, or just yelling at her about how she does with a bow and arrow?”

  Elodie sighed and said, “I got to know her a little.”

  “Well, sounds like you missed an opportunity.”

  “To do what, Matt?”

  “Get with her.”

  “Get with her? She’s twenty-two years old. I’m thirty-three.”

  “She’s twenty-three this weekend, actually. I already sent her an e-gift card since I can’t make the party. No offense. I like her, but I’m not driving six hours or hopping on a plane to spend the weekend with her family.”

  “Shit. That’s this weekend,” Elodie said.

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “I can send her another gift card with your name on it, too. Wait. Were you going to go?” he asked.

  “I was summoned by her parents. They’re paying me to coach her. I guess they wanted to meet the person they’re signing the checks for.”

  “I thought you weren’t coaching her anymore,” Matt said.

  “I’m not. I was planning on sending them back everything they paid me. It doesn’t feel right keeping it after I didn’t show up for her.”

  “That’s nice of you,” he replied.