Tipping Point

by Maisie Johansson

  They both knew that they were only joking, but their jokes weren’t that far off point. As fun as camps were, they were always competing for their places. That meant that as soon as they stepped into the hotel, Caroline would be in the zone. No one was more committed at camp than she was. No one had more to gain or more to lose.

  “I sure am. Let’s go show ‘em, Princess!”

  They arrived at almost the exact same time as Farah. Caroline immediately dropped her bags and ran towards her best friend, yelling her name. Rhetta rolled her eyes, grabbed Caroline’s abandoned bags and headed over to the sign-in table.

  “My girlfriend is a child,” she muttered fondly as she dropped their bags and picked up the sign-in sheet. She found her name, then Caroline’s and put a cross in the box beside them both. Next she flipped to the next page to find out their room allocations. She had to reread what she saw four times before she was sure that she wasn’t seeing things.

  “The rest of the coaches and I have been talking and we’ve decided to give it a try,” Gillian said. Rhetta hadn’t even heard her approach.

  “Hey coach. Are you sure?” Rhetta asked, biting her lip.

  “The Spirit played really well this season. The way that you and Caroline worked with your coaching staff to turn things around has been impressive to watch. You two are a great team and that has a lot to do with your relationship off the pitch. We trust you guys. All the rules are still in place. We’re trusting you to obey them. If we think that the two of you sharing a room is affecting your performance then this will be the one and only time that it happens. If not, we’ll think about making it a regular thing.”

  “We won’t let you down, coach. I promise,” Rhetta swore. Caroline was still talking animatedly to Farah, but Rhetta thought that this was as good a time as any to ask for a meeting with the coaches. “Do you think that Caro and I could talk to you and the rest of the coaches about something later on? Maybe after the team meeting?”

  Gillian immediately looked worried and Rhetta hoped that she hadn’t blown it.

  “Please don’t tell me that you’re pregnant?”

  Rhetta let out her held breath, biting back a smile as she shook her head no. “Don’t worry coach, we’re both all in this. We wouldn’t do that in a World Cup year.” She thought about it for a moment before adding, “Or in an Olympics year.”

  “Hey coach. What aren’t we doing in Olympics year?” Caroline asked when she finally made it over to the sign-in table.

  “Getting me pregnant,” Rhetta filled in, knowing that it would make Caroline blush beet-red. She wasn’t disappointed. “I asked if we could meet with the coaches and Gillian asked if I was pregnant.”

  “Oooooooooh,” Caroline exhaled, her cheeks still pink. “Right. Got it.”

  Gillian laughed and patted Caroline’s shoulder. “Just hang back in the room at the end and we can talk about whatever it is. Now, go get settled in. I want you both out front in an hour. We’re heading to the field for a quick training session before dinner.”

  “We’ll be there, coach,” Caroline promised.

  When Gillian had headed over to greet Farah, Caroline whispered, “You’re going to tell them they you want to come out?”

  Rhetta shook her head. “We’re going to tell them that we want to come out.”

  Caroline grinned. “Okay.”

  Rhetta could never resist smiling when Caroline smiled. “Come on, stud. Let’s go drop our stuff in our room.”

  Immediately, Caroline jumped into action, grabbing both of their holdalls and her own suitcase. Rhetta’s words only hit her when the elevator doors chimed open.

  “Wait, did you just say our room?!”

  * * *

  As thrilled as Caroline was that she and Rhetta were roomies, it did put a significant dampner on her plans to propose to Rhetta in the next few days. She had been hoping that she would be roomed with Farah, Tamara or maybe Charlie again. Anyone but Rhetta. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to pull this off on her own and finding a co-conspirator was going to be a lot harder than she had bargained for. She was going to have to risk getting in trouble to try and round up some recruits.

  When they filed into the changing rooms, Rhetta followed Caroline to her bench and, as always, sat down beside her and began to un-tape her hands. Caroline loved their little post game ritual. It had started as a moment of silent catharsis after their losses with the Spirit. Now it didn't only happen after every game, but after every practice too. Rhetta took such care with Caroline's hands, gently removing the tape and kissing the pink flesh as it was exposed. When she was done with that, she took the soothing lotion from Caroline's bag and rubbed it in. Before each match and training session, Rhetta kissed the palms of Caroline's hands to bring her luck, and she kissed them again at the end to seal it in.

  "Thanks, Princess," Caroline smiled when Rhetta was done.

  "You're welcome," Rhetta smiled, going in for a quick kiss. "I've got to make sure that I keep my keepers hands in tip top condition."

  She crinkled her nose in a smile and hopped up to get changed. Caroline watched her walk away with a goofy smile and Vanessa rolled her eyes at them.

  "You two are sickeningly sweet, you know that?"

  "Yup!" Caroline grinned.

  Ten minutes later, Rhetta walked back over to where Caroline was getting ready.

  “Hey, you ready to go?” Rhetta asked as Caroline was tying her shoelaces. Usually she was the last of the two to finish getting changed after practice, but Caroline seemed to be going especially slow.

  “I – err – I said that I’d ride with Tamara and our van is already full,” Caroline said so quickly that Rhetta barely caught her words.

  “Oh.” Rhetta deflated. “Sure. I’ll see you back at the hotel then.”

  Caroline winced as Rhetta walked away, her shoulders slumped. Tamara, who was close enough to have heard their exchange, raised one of her eyebrows at Caroline.

  “Dude, what was all that about?”

  “Shhh! She'll hear you. I’ll tell you in the van,” Caroline hissed, following Rhetta with her eyes until she was definitely out of sight.

  They grabbed their stuff and headed towards the last remaining van. When they clambered inside, they saw that they were joined by Natalie, Sondheim, Dillon and Farah.

  “Okay, we’re in the van. Spill,” Tamara demanded when the van door shut with a clunk behind them.

  Everyone turned and looked at Caroline. She hadn’t wanted to have so many people in on it. Each new person increased the chances of Rhetta finding out. Or worse, it would increase the awkwardness if Rhetta said no. But she didn't really have much choice. She didn't know when she would have such a good opportunity again.

  With only fifteen minutes until they reached the hotel, Caroline got straight to the point. “I’m going to ask Rhetta to marry me.”

  The whole van erupted with squeals and congratulations, but Caroline’s eyes went straight to Farah. She needed her best friend’s approval. She needed to know that Farah wasn’t pissed off that Caroline hadn’t told her first. To her relief, Farah was grinning.

  “Alright guys, I haven’t asked her yet!” Caroline cried eventually to get them to calm down. “I want to do it whilst we’re at camp, so I’m gonna need some help.”

  “How come you want to do it at camp?” Sondheim asked.

  “Because her and Rhetta met at camp,” Inge answered with a knowing smile. “I think it’s a great idea, Caro. Really romantic.”

  Caroline smiled and nodded thankfully. “Thanks. I hope that Rhetta thinks so.”

  “What can we do to help?” Farah asked.

  “Logistics?” Caroline shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t really have a proper idea yet, but I kind of want to do it on the beach.”

  She felt calm on the beach. The beach was her safe place. If she was going to be able to pull off a big romantic speech then the beach would be the place she could do it.

  “I have an idea,�
� Natalie put in. “At least for how we can get her there. We could pretend that we’re all going to a restaurant by the beach. You can take forever getting ready and then you and Rhetta will have to get your own cab. She’ll probably be pretty pissed at you, but I’m guessing that she’ll get over that when you get to the beach and pull out a ring.” Everyone turned and stared at Natalie, surprised that she had said something so sensible. “Or, you know, something.”

  Caroline nodded and smiled, the beginnings of a plan forming in her mind.

  “No, it’s good.” She turned to Farah. “Do you think that you could look after the ring for me?”

  Farah’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

  “You’re my best friend,” Caroline said.

  “I’d love to,” Farah grinned. "You can count on me, Caro."

  “What can I do?” Sondheim asked a little too enthusiastically.

  Everyone grinned and Inge patted Sondheim's shoulder. "Easy there, tyke. You have heard Caroline shout at her back line, haven't you? She'll tell us what she wants us to do."

  "I can't believe it! I'm so excited!" Natalie squealed, clapping her hands.

  "Calm down, Natalie, she might not even say yes," Caroline self-consciously, a little over-awed at her friends' reactions.

  Everyone stopped and stated at Caroline for a moment before bursting out laughing.

  Tamara slapped her on the back. "Yeah and hell might freeze over."

  * * *

  To Caroline’s surprise, Rhetta wasn’t upset with her at all. She was waiting for Caroline in their room with a smile on her face and a kiss to greet her.

  “Hey, baby,” Caroline breathed into Rhetta’s neck as Rhetta held her tight in an unexpected hug. “What’s all this for?”

  “Charlie told me that something was bothering Tamara. I’m glad that you hung back to talk to her about it,” Rhetta whispered, squeezing Caroline tighter for a moment before letting her go.

  Caroline would have to thank Charlie later.

  * * *

  After the team meeting was over, Caroline and Rhetta stayed in their seats, earning questioning glances from their departing teammates.

  “I wonder how many of them think that you’re pregnant,” Caroline whispered to Rhetta as the last of their teammates filed out.

  “I think that they would all be pretty pissed if they found that out after the coaches, especially after that meeting,” Rhetta murmured, turning her face to Caroline to make sure that the coaches in question couldn’t read her lips.

  Rhetta set it all out for them. She wanted to come out – not just as herself, but as Caroline’s girlfriend – and if they weren’t going to help her, she would do it via social media. Caroline stood quietly supportive by her side, nodding along with all that Rhetta had to say. Though she had been mostly silent through the whole meeting, Caroline was utterly exhausted by the time they made it back to their room. The coaches had had so many questions and Caroline felt like she had just been cross-examined by a bench of lawyers. Sure, they had been supportive, but they were understandably a little worried about the press reaction to having a couple on the national team.

  “All I want to do is crawl into bed with you and watch TV,” Caroline grumbled as they stopped in front of their hotel room door whilst Rhetta found their key in her purse. Caroline had given Farah her key on the pretence that Farah had wanted to borrow her phone charger. Farah's mission had been to sneak up to their room during dinner to retrieve the engagement ring from Caroline’s holdall and hide it in her room.

  “Me too, babe,” Rhetta sighed as the keycard slid into its slot and the door unlocked. To both of their surprise, the scene that greeted them inside was one of absolute chaos.

  No less than twenty women were squeezed into their twin room – sitting and laying on every available part of floor, chair and bed that they could find. Twenty pairs of eyes turned to stare at them and Rhetta found herself blushing under their gaze.

  Vanessa was the first to break the silence. “Spill.”

  Caroline nudged Rhetta into the room and shut the door behind them. “I’m pretty sure that y’all are breaking every fire code that the damn building has.”

  “Nice try, Caro. You heard Nessa. Spill,” Natalie demanded.

  Caroline turned to Rhetta, unsure whether Rhetta wanted her to take the lead with this one, but found that Rhetta was far too busy glaring at Farah to do any such thing.

  “Okay, well, as you guys know, Rhetta and have been together for a while now,” she began, not really knowing what to say. Rhetta was always better at these sorts of things.

  “Duh, more like forever,” Perinnel giggled.

  “Right, pretty much forever,” Caroline agreed. “Which is why Rhetta and I have decided that it’s about time that the rest of the world knows that too.”

  Denise was the first to get to her feet, jumping over the maze of legs to crush Rhetta and Caroline in a tight hug. “This is awesome, guys. I’m here for you both if you need me.”

  “We all are,” Charlie piped up, hugging them both from behind. "Gah, I'm so excited to finally get to post all of the cute photos that I have of you guys!"

  Before either Rhetta or Caroline could reply, they were surrounded by their teammates, all jostling for a hug and a chance to pledge their support.

  After half an hour, their congratulations and questions finally died down and the team had settled in to watch a movie. Natalie, Janine and Charlie had quickly claimed Caroline’s bed, so Rhetta had tugged Caroline to her bed and snuggled up with her under the covers.

  “Let’s be honest, there’s no way I was going to let you sleep in your own bed,” Rhetta said with a yawn, her arms wrapped tightly around Caroline’s waist. “I don’t think that coach can really expect me to sleep in the same room as you and not get to snuggle wih you.”

  “Nothing could keep me away, Princess. You know that I never sleep better than when I have you in my arms,” Caroline said, pressing a kiss to Rhetta's forehead.

  A chorus of ‘awwws’ came from the other bed and Caroline grinned, wondering when exactly it was that Charlie had become her personal cheerleader.

  Rhetta tilted her head up for a kiss and Caroline gladly obliged. There, with the love of her life in her arms and their friends all around them, Caroline felt happier than she ever had before. The only thing that would make it even better would be a ring on Rhetta’s finger. Little did she know that Rhetta was thinking the exact same thing.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Caroline woke the next day to find herself in the process of becoming a pancake. Part way through movie night, Rhetta’s bed had been pushed against the wall to make space for ‘the youngens’ – a name given by Natalie to everyone born in the after 1990 – to snuggle in a fort of blankets between the two beds. When the room had eventually emptied out some time after curfew, Caroline had been too sleepy to put their room back in order. A decision which now had her very much squished between Rhetta’s – some would say overly – tight embrace and the wall.

  “R,” she muttered around a mouthful of Rhetta’s hair. They were going to have to get the people at the hotel to push the two beds together. Either that or Caroline was going to have to beg to switch rooms. “R, you’re squishing me!”

  Rhetta’s grip on Caroline tightened and she mumbled, “Are you calling me fat?”

  “No, I’m calling you strong as, well, the wall against which I’m being squished! Do you think that you could loosen your death grip a little?”

  Rhetta giggled sleepily and loosened her hold on Caroline, wriggling her body back a bit to give Caroline a little more room. “This bed is so tiny that I was worried that I was going to fall out.”

  “So you thought that you would try and snuggle through me to the wall?” When Caroline peeled herself away from the wall, little jolts of pain shocked out from several spots on her back. “Fuck, R, I’m going to have bruises!”

  Rhetta scoffed and rolled over to face away from Caroline. “Cry baby.” />
  “Am not!” Indignant, Caroline jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom to check out her injuries in the mirror.

  “R!”

  Something in her tone made Rhetta’s amusement at the situation evaporate and she quickly slid from the bed and padded into the bathroom. When Caroline heard her coming, she turned around for Rhetta to see the two purple bruises over her shoulder blades. Rhetta’s eyes widened a the sight of them and she immediately rushed forward to run her hands over the discoloured skin.

  “Oh baby, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, feeling the heat radiating off the two bruises. Caroline shuddered at her touch.

  “Your hands are cold,” Caroline lied, the quickening of her breath betraying her as they both realised that Caroline was naked from the waist up.

  Rhetta stepped silently closer and pressed a kiss between Caroline’s shoulder blades.

  “Poor baby,” she said, her teasing tone underlaid with sincerity. She slid her hands, palms flat, down from Caroline’s shoulders and around her waist, rubbing them over Caroline’s abs. The muscles beneath her fingertips were trembling as she leant up on her tiptoes to whisper into Caroline’s ear. “Let me make it up to you.”

  “We can’t,” Caroline gasped plaintively. “The rules.”

  Rhetta chuckled and pressed a kiss to Caroline’s neck.

  “Screw the rules. How many times have we fucked all night only to do a full day of training the next day. We don’t have to be at dinner for another hour and a half.” She slipped one of her hands lower, teasing the wide band of Caroline’s tight boy-shorts.

  Caroline’s eyes fluttered closed and she tried to remember how to think.