“Renée,” he called out to her.
She turned towards him, stopping as he approached.
“I was informed by Serge that he has asked you to join me in California this weekend.”
Here it comes she thought. Aware how important the race was she would understand David wanting the veteran trainer overseeing it. Although she knew she was quite capable, there would be no hard feelings for what she was about to hear.
“You’re going to need to have Serge cancel your flight reservations,” not offering any further explanation.
There it is Renée thought. That damn Serge he should have cleared it with David before letting her get her hopes up.
“Ok, I’ll go find him and let him know,” she said in a lower disappointing voice.
As she turned to walk away he called out her name again. She stopped and thought to herself, what now, your crushing me here, let’s just get on with it.
He looked at her sporting a devilish smile, “Can you be ready by ten?”
“For what David?”
“I’ll pick you up at ten tomorrow morning.”
“David, you’re going to California tomorrow,” reminding him.
“I know my flight leaves at one and I thought it would be nice to have some company.”
“I don’t understand. If you and Sandy need a ride to the airport, I’m sure the staff at the ranch can arrange it,” adding, “I will have a lot to oversee here David with you and Serge both gone.”
“Strange, I thought you were coming to California and Serge was staying here,” he pretended to act surprised.
“You just told me to cancel my tickets.”
“I did, didn’t I,” David said. “I want you to cancel your tickets, because I have two first class tickets and there is only one of me. Flights can be so boring. It would be nice to have some company.”
“What about Sandy. You told me she was joining you.”
“She left for Europe this morning. No telling when she’ll be home.” He went on, “by the way I think it was an excellent call to have you take the lead at this race. You will do a fantastic job. You’re ready for this young lady. It’s your turn to shine.”
Renée gazed in wonderment at her boss. She couldn’t find any words to respond. Being resigned to staying behind her brain wasn’t synchronized with her speech. The surprise was noticeable.
“Renée, are you okay? Renée, tu es bien avec ceci?” he repeated it in French thinking words in her native tongue might bring her back to earth.
“Oui, David I’m fine,” she responded. “You said ten, yes, I’ll be ready.”
“Good, I’ll see you then.”
With that he turned and continued his walk to the parking lot, got into his vehicle and drove away. Renée walked to the race track to have a look at one of their horses which was being put through a training session. She made her way to the end of the path that the horses are paraded to and from the stables. There were four or five horses running. One was slowly walking towards the open gate, returning to the stalls when the jockey stopped and dismounted handing the reins over to a groomer. It was Gabriela.
She approached Renée, who was leaning on the fence, her eyes glued to one of her horses. So zoned in she didn’t notice Gabriela until hearing her.
“Renée.”
When she realized who it was a smile came across her face.
“How’s your day going,” Gabriela continued. “I thought I might see you out on the track this afternoon.”
“I would have loved to have been riding. But I had way too much to take care of,” she replied.
“That’s too bad. I know how much you look forward to it.”
“I really do.”
Gabriela went on, “Listen I won’t be seeing you for a few days. I got a call this morning and caught a ride for this weekend’s stake race in California. So tell Serge I intend on occupying the winners circle,” she joked.
“Well don’t get your hopes up. I’m leaving for the west coast tomorrow afternoon. Serge is sending me as lead trainer for the race. I’m planning on winning.”
“Serge is not going. This has to be a first.”
“You’re surprised. Imagine how I am feeling.”
“Well congratulations. It is well earned. You are one of the best, and now it is your time to show them what you’re made of. I’m really proud of you.” Then she suddenly realized this meant they were going to cross paths sooner than later, “we need to get together for dinner, drinks or—”
Renée cut her off, “I’d love to.”
“Okay, great. I’ll get in touch with you after settling in,” Gabriela said. “This has the makings of an intriguing trip.”
Chapter 5
Sandy’s pilots filed a flight plan to France. Her flying time was estimated at approximately nine hours. She decided to spend the next day in Paris before making the additional six hour trip to Saudi Arabia. The board of the Save the Children Foundation was overwhelmed when informed she was able to attend after all.
She spent the first part of the Atlantic crossing catching up on sleep. The activities of the past couple of days hadn’t allowed for much rest. Next, an hour or so dedicated to the preparation of the address she was scheduled to present. When the word was out that she might be returning to Europe sooner than expected, a couple opportunities to speak at functions were offered. She chose to fulfill her original commitment. Charities whose goal was to enhance the well-being of children would always be her preference.
The remainder of the flight was split between reading and staring out the window of the plane, letting her thoughts drift from David, to the wedding she was attending, then back to David. Recently a good deal of her time was spent reflecting on her future. Her husband wanted children in their lives. Was it a deal breaker? Would she lose him if her decision was to remain committed to her present lifestyle, or was it possible to continue at this pace and properly raise a child? The answers were not clear, and the search for them was becoming more pressuring each day. She did promise herself one thing. Once this detail was completed she was going to retreat to the ranch for an extended period of time. A heart to heart with her husband was overdue.
When they arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport she was whisked through customs. Anywhere on this side of the world when her name was entered into an official computer, the instructions were to clear her through without the formalities that most travelers were accustomed to. Over the years she had befriended some very powerful allies. Sandy carried a status similar to a Head of State. Her plan was to grab a bite to eat then bed. What lie ahead would require her utmost attention.
***
Waking up early, she put on a jogging outfit then made her way down the stairs to the hotel lobby. She left the room key at the front desk not wanting to carry anything with her during the run. The only item allowed to participate in the journey was an iPhone which contained a wide variety of her favorite music, different playlists for different moods.
Paris was such an inspiring city to run in, so much history. A jog along the banks of the River Seine was as breathtaking as it gets. Passing by the Eiffel Tower, running alongside yesteryear's structures, with their secrets hidden between the walls, was a setting to be relished by true romantics. Such magnificent views whichever direction one faced. It was simply stunning.
The goal was to run a pace of six minute miles. A slower tempo for part of the jog was to be expected while taking in the scenery. After all the years of rigorous training she was as fit as any Olympian athlete. Her resting heart rate was forty beats per minute. The norm for an elite female athlete was nearer to fifty. She could have run faster but this was a nice pace for someone facing a fourteen hour day.
After the run she walked a block or two allowing her heart rate to lower. En route back to the hotel, a stop at a small café she frequented when in Paris was in order. They blended up a peach-mango smoothie with a scoop of protein. Once back at the hotel she retrieved the key from th
e front desk. Completing her day’s workout she climbed the stairs two at a time. A flight of stairs was an excellent form of exercise. She was surprised it wasn’t a common practice with most people. It was such a simple way to implement a little fitness into a person’s daily routine.
Sandy locked the door then striped her way to the powder room for a well deserved shower. As the wash progressed, she surrendered to self gratification. It was going to be one of her extended showers. The stimulation actually began during her run. Occasionally during an exercise session she would experience what was learned to be an exercise-induced orgasm. She first experienced this sensation during her teen years. Training mostly in a male predominate environment she felt embarrassed at the onset of the episodes. It was important to recognize them when exercising in the public. With time Sandy learned to control the awkwardness.
Sandy educated herself about the sensation. With some research and the quizzing of a trusted sports psychology professor, to her surprise she learned it was natural for a woman to feel sexually aroused during extreme exercise. The explanation given was, studies concluded that women build tension in their legs before an orgasm. When a woman exercises, they release endorphins and dopamines, which are essential for an orgasm, combined with the tension in the lower extremities can cause the stimulation. The orgasms were referred to as coregasm. On a positive note, Sandy felt it was quite a motivator to hit the gym.
Once finished, she leaned on the vanity with both arms, wiped the fogged mirror and spoke to her blurred reflection, “Oh my God, I spend way too much time alone.”
Arriving at the charity luncheon on time, she spent an hour or so getting reacquainted with people she hadn’t seen for quite some time. Shortly after everyone was seated, she was introduced as the guest speaker. The event was a thousand-dollar-a-plate dinner. Most in attendance were multimillionaires. Her goal was to open as many cheque books as possible. The Save the Children association was one she spent numerous hours campaigning for. She had links with many well deserving non-profit organizations, but those who assisted or came to the aid of children, no matter where in the world they lived, were close to her heart.
The hostess of the gathering introduced Sandy, “Ladies and Gentlemen would please welcome our special guest this evening, Sandy McGinnis-Watson.”
Sandy set her glass of water on the podium. She thanked her hostess and began speaking, “My dear friends, it is an honor to stand in front of you today. The work of the Save the Children organization has become dear to my heart.”
She went on for about ten minutes talking about the goals of the charity. A brief outline of their recent achievements was touched on. You didn’t want to bore these guests. It was best to have them well fed and happy. Maybe loosened up by way of the spirits being served. They were all aware why they had been invited. A short speech or two would be acceptable, but most wanted to get down to business. For that reason Sandy felt it was time to wrap up her talk.
“We haven’t been very careful with taking care of the earth we live on,” she continued. “We’ve polluted our water, created holes in the ozone layer, and paved the fields that once grew the food we eat. It’s been profitable to beat it up. People are losing their lives every day in conflicts over geographic and religious disputes. It would astound you to learn how many children are caught in the crossfire.” She wanted to paint a bleak picture but on the other hand, didn’t want to dampen the mood of her listeners. So it was time to mention the positives then bring the speech to an end.
“It is however, encouraging that governments and citizens worldwide have taken positive steps to reverse this damage. What we need to ensure is that every child in every corner of the world, has access to safe water and a nourishing diet. A pledge to provide an education for every one of them, void of prejudice, and antagonism, is one of our goals. Let us visualize a world in which those who grow to become our leaders retain the innocence they once knew while playing in the local playground. They see no color or race. All equal.”
With one last stitch effort to rally the troops, she decided to tell a story about one of David’s coaches attempt to motivate his team.
“Some of you know my husband David,” abruptly changing the subject. “For those who don’t, he was a professional athlete before an injury ended his career. Well, listening to some of the stories he has told,” she almost started to whisper as if telling a secret, “would make you think, it might have been a head injury that forced him into an early retirement.”
She heard a few chuckles from the crowd, their serious faces soon turning to smiles. It was as if they were looking for a reason not to be thinking of all the dire events in the world which she brought to light.
“Now, being married to an athlete bestows a sense of duty which requires you to listen to accounts of events that took place during their career. Keep in mind, in my case that meant tales of twenty some athletic, wealthy men, traveling, dressing and showering together for ten months out of each year. Most of these anecdotes I believe weren’t meant to be discussed in public, although some have been rather interesting,” she paused. “If you will indulge me for another minute or two I would like to share one with you today. Then we eat.”
“One year David’s team began to falter near the end of the season. They still had a chance to make a comeback and be in contention to win the league championship. The coach felt that his players were not playing up to their potential. In David’s words, the coach had called them a bunch of spoiled overpaid lazy so and so. Now, I must interject and say that after hearing these tales, I have come to the conclusion that an athletic coach must not only possess a sound knowledge for the game in which he or she is teaching, but equally important, they must be an exceptional motivator.”
She then fast forwarded the story. “After the loss of another important game the coach informed all the players that they would have to pack and carry their own equipment to the bus, which was waiting at the rear of the arena. All professional teams employ staff to manage the gear. They had been given the day off. The coach informed the players in harsh terms, that for the remainder of the season there would be no need for equipment handlers. He explained since some players in the room weren’t prepared to play like professionals, there was no need to be treated as one,” she took a sip of water.
“The players didn’t say a word to him. They learned from the early age of five that nothing good would come from disputing what a coach says.”
Feeling she might be getting a bit long winded. It was time to get to the point. “So the team packed their gear and loaded it onto the bus. When everyone was accounted for the coach took the front seat which was always reserved for him. The bus was sitting on a slant, but no one said a word. The reason it was tilting to the side was because the coach had the bus company hire a towing service to remove one of the front wheels and hide it out of sight. When they were ready to depart, the coach turned to the bus driver instructing him in his grumpy voice, ‘Okay, let’s go’. The driver turned to him replying, ‘sir we can’t move, we’re missing a tire’. The coach said, ‘I don’t care, just go’. The driver repeated, ‘I can’t drive this thing with nine tires, we need ten.’ This went back and forth until a couple of the veteran players came to the aid of the driver. They moved to the front of the bus and told the coach they would go out and have a look, which they did. Stepping back on, they confirmed that for some strange reason there was a wheel missing. Not acknowledging them the coach turned and again said to the driver, ‘let’s go. Why do need all the tires to move this thing?’ Before the driver could respond, the captain of the team spoke to the coach, ‘Look I know you’re upset at us, but don’t take it out on this guy,’ referring to the driver. ‘We can’t drive until we replace the tire,” Sandy took a moment so the people in attendance could visualize the situation.
“At this point the coach stood up and turned to address his players. ‘Guys I don’t see the problem here. The bus still has nine tires. It’s only missin
g one.’ A player near the back of the bus spoke up, ‘come on coach you know we can’t move without all the tires working.’ Now it was time for the coach to drive home the point of this whole exercise. ‘Is that right? Seems like a strange statement coming from someone on this team. For the last three weeks we have played game after game with six players being on the ice, but only two or three of them actually doing anything. The others were nowhere to be found. Gentlemen, we’ve been missing players. Apparently you guys believe this damn bus can’t go anywhere when it has one of its tires missing. How the hell do you think this hockey team can go anywhere missing players? This is a team sport. Only teams win in this league. A team needs all its wheels. It can’t move forward without them. We need every single tire performing at its peak. And let me assure you gentlemen, we will win.’ With that he took his seat, nodded to the bus driver and said, ‘get that damn wheel fixed.’ The players got the message. Motivated by what may have been construed as an act bordering on insanity, they went on to win the league championship.”
“At first, I thought the coach’s performance was over the top. The more and more I thought about it, his behavior inspired a group of young men who had forgotten their roots. What they sacrificed to achieve those childhood dreams.” She brought the story its end.
“So let’s Save the Children. They are the future. Let’s provide them with the finest education available. Let’s feed them so they never have to experience hunger again. Let’s teach them to cherish the earth they live on. Let them live a life void of chauvinism. Everyone in this room is part of this team. Let’s make sure this bus has all of its wheels. I solicit you to open up those cheque books, and don’t be shy with the zeros. It’s our time to give back.”
At that point she held up an envelope and informed her listeners, “We at the McGinnis Foundation would like to get this started with a donation of one million dollars. Thank you.”
Love Lonely Page 6