by Tara Wimble
“I want him out. Now.” Jacque whispers. “Or, I swear to god Bella, I’ll tell him-”
Bella opens her mouth and Jacque can see the burst of protest because that’s not in the rules. That’s not the way they said that this would work. But neither is fucking your boyfriend on the living room couch so she doesn’t really have a leg to stand on. “You can-”
But Jacque knows she can because she has nothing to lose from this. Bella played this too close to the line and if Jacque is going to save her ass then this is the only way she can do it. Even if it’s the most selfish thing she’s thought of in months.
“Tell me what?”
Blake doesn’t have the tact that Bella does and he’s only managed to pull on a pair of pants when he comes up behind Bella. He sees her expression and takes a stand behind his girlfriend. Like he expects Jacque to do something to her.
Bella waits for the coin to drop.
Jacque steels herself and looks down at her. “-but I won’t do that. Because I meant what I said.” She steps back. “This is on your head.”
Bella nods and thanks her but just because she is willing to let it drop doesn’t mean her boyfriend feels similarly.
It’s like a standoff in their small apartment and all four of them look around at each other, nobody willing to break the tensions. Well, nobody but Blake.
“Look, whatever domestic you’re having-” Blake very clearly points between Jacque and Kathryn. “-I think we’d appreciate it if you could all just work it out on your own time. Bella has nothing to do with this-”
Sometimes Jacque wishes Kathryn wouldn’t bait so easily. “Are you kidding me? Domestic?” She laughs and Blake can’t tell the difference between joking and bitterness. “That’s hilarious- considering -I’m- not the one who’s married to her.”
“Kathryn,” Jacque warns but the damage has been done. Blake’s staring at her left hand and as quickly as Jacque tries to cover it up he’s already putting things together in his head. Actually, trying to hide it probably only made it easier to figure out.
“You--.” He cuts himself off looking at Jacque, then switches his focus to Bella. Following a hunch he picks up her left hand and examines the ring finger. Clear as day there’s a tan line where a ring usually would sit.
It’s a rough action and Kathryn pushes forward. “Hey, don’t touch her like that-”
Blake drops Bella’s hand like he’s been burned.
There’s a burning feeling as he stares at her but she hasn’t stopped looking at Bella, who’s shell shocked expression is making her feel sick.
Her first instinct is to go over there and comfort her because that’s been her go to tactic for the past few years but that isn’t something that will help. So she plants her feet just a little bit firmer into the floor.
Blake is the first to move and a second later, just enough for Jacque to witness everything shattering behind Bella’s eyes, Bella follows after him shouting him to come back.
And it lands like a well-timed punch to the face because there wasn’t even a moment, not even a second of hesitation. Not one moment where Jacque thought that Bella even considered that she was the one who might need comforting. Not a moment where it even looked like she thought about it when everything in Jacque’s body was begging her to stay.
Nothing.
She’s not sure what’s worse; having to listen to Bella shout after him as he leaves and the door slamming to the apartment, or realizing that Bella has absolutely no clue what she means to her.
*
An invisible wall springs up in the apartment that seems to block the way for any form of communication between her and Bella. The only saving grace for it being Kathryn, who knows the whole story rendering the need for Bella and Jacque to pretend that everything is fine unnecessary. Except it’s painful to live.
The call for their camp leading to World Cup qualifiers comes and it’s Kathryn who has to tell Bella. Jacque has taken to keeping to herself in the living room and using Kathryn’s bathroom instead of the shared one between her room and Bella’s. The couch has been sufficiently cleaned.
No one has said a word about Blake for two weeks.
Bella won’t talk because she’s not speaking to either of them. Kathryn won’t ask because she’s still pissed at Bella and slightly upset that Jacque lied to her. And Jacque;
Well she’s not going to ask because she honestly doesn’t care. A guilt filled weight sits on her back as it is, knowing that deep down, this is something she wanted to happen. To have him out of her life as well as the memories he’s left imprinted in her brain.
It gets to about a week or so before qualifiers when Bella starts to go out a bit more. Jacque doesn’t ask. Instead she packs and unpacks while Bella is out of the apartment and twists the wedding ring on her finger trying to think of a plan to get through the stages in Vancouver.
They don’t have to worry about the press or the results but the thought of having to resume business as usual with their fake relationship now that Jacque has played such a huge part in ruining Bella’s real relationship is terrifying.
In theory she knows that she hasn’t got as much to lose. It’s Bella who needs to hang on to this for a while longer. It’s Bella who needs to play it well and keep convincing those around them, bar Kathryn, that everything is fine.
But she’s going to do it with some small resenting feelings towards Jacque and that’s nothing like they’ve had to manage before. She’s so used to Bella working the game and playing the right cards. Calling her a friend and exaggerating those feelings for the performance. Now Jacque doesn’t know how they’ll work this out. She’s too nervous to ask.
She can only hope that they can pass off anything as a bump in the road.
*
She sits in at one of the tables while he’s working. She hides the stack of papers underneath a plate and while Blake walks in and out serving customers, she watches him and pokes at the cupcake she has no desire to eat.
He glances at her and when she catches his eye pretends that he wasn’t looking at all. But she knows that he was and it puts a glimmer of hope in her heart that her being here, the papers in hand, will ensure that everything will work out in the end.
It’s late for the bakery, normal time for everyone else, but she knows that his shift usually ends at five so it’s not that long of a wait. She half expected him to try and sneak out the back but is pleasantly surprised when he comes back out of the employee area and sits across from her.
He stares down at her ring finger, she’s not wearing it. Hasn’t been, other than when she truly needs to, since he found out.
“I can’t believe I never saw the tan line.” Blake says softly.
“Well how long did you really stare at my hands anyway?” Bella tries to joke but her heart isn’t in it but this is what she does. She jokes and hopes that everything will fall into place. At his pained face she deflates. “I screwed up. I should have told you, I’m sorry.”
“So you’re married. To a woman.” There’s no prejudice in his voice, if anything he objects more to the part that she’s married than the woman part. He’s simply trying to add it all up in his head and find a solution that makes sense. “Was I just some sort of self-discovery thing?”
“Blake, no--” She cuts herself off and reaches for him, he doesn’t flinch back from her hand and instead leans into her. It’s encouraging. “It’s complicated--God is it so complicated--but I love you and I want to be with you. So I need you to forgive me.”
It’s the first time that either one of them has said it to each other but she can see the sentiment clearly reflected back at her in his eyes. But there’s still also a lot of pain and confusion to clear up as well.
“I love you too.” It surprises Bella that he actually says it but she doesn’t react because there’s a hesitant tone in his voice. “But I can’t be with you if you’re with her. I guess I’m just selfish like that but I want you all to myself.”
&
nbsp; “And I want the same thing. It’s not fair to either of you so here.” She pulls the papers out from underneath the plate where they were hiding. “I'm filing for divorce. I’m choosing you.”
He takes the papers and reads a few lines before handing them back. “Are you sure?”
She tucks the papers into her bag for safe keeping and beams back at him. “Completely.”
His face relaxes almost instantly and he reaches over to take her hand in his. It’s dusted with flour and it makes her want to clap her hands of the powder rather than hold on but this is the closest they’ve been in weeks. So she ignores the urge. “You don’t know how happy I am that you said that.” Blake sighs out with a weak smile.
Blake stalls for another minute just grinning stupidly at her while her chest tightens. “I have to- I should get back.”
“Can’t let them fall behind without you there.” Bella squeezes his hands. “Good bakers rise to the occasion and everything.”
Blake dusts off his hands and gives her this blindingly happy look. She waits for the typical mockery that comes with her pun making but he rustles his hand through his hair instead. “It’s the yeast I could do.”
And that response tells her everything she needs to know. In her chest she knows she’s doing the right thing, so they say goodbye, with a kiss that feels more natural than anything, and she heads straight off to file the papers.
It means that things can be set straight. It means that she can go back to the apartment and not feel like she’s casting a dark cloud on everyone in sight. That she’ll be able to get through qualifiers with Jacque and Kathryn and have things get back to normal. To have her friends back. To have her life back.
This is for the best for everyone involved.
Chapter 6
2011
*
“HOLD it, okay.”
“It’s on.”
“Awesome.” Imogen gives a blinding smile to the camera before she raises her mic up to show that this is a serious production. “Alright, back again with the next installment of Ginny Cam. We’re currently in Cancun, Mexico with the team. Getting geared up, gettin’ ready for World Cup Qualifiers. That’s right.”
“We’re here with our gracious captain, Christina Whembly, and the comeback kid, Jacque-elina Liresch.” They’ve been hovering at the side while Ginny bounced around but now the camera pulls back to include them in the shot. “And I think, just before we start the tournament, I wanna get your thoughts on what we expect and what you’re looking forward to in the next few days. In Mexico.”
“Heat.” Jacque states. “Lots of heat.”
“Workin’ on your tan a little there I see-” Imogen pokes at Jacque’s arm. “Do you feel that this gives you an edge over the competition?”
“Maybe. I think it gives me an edge on Whemb here-”
“Fighting words, Whemb you wanna add anything in here?”
Whemb obviously does but she stares Imogen down until the bubbling humour between them breaks and Ginny rolls the mic in her hands as they lose all train of thought.
There’s a split screen of black and suddenly Ginny has her keeper’s jersey on, looking game fresh, with her arm around Sophie. “Soph, Soph- we just cruised through our second game of qualifiers, eight - nothing if you guys and girls watching didn’t see it; whose goal was your favorite and why?”
Sophie pushes her fringe off her face and because it’s so wet it sticks upwards. “Um, I think Kara’s goal in the 90th was pretty great-”
“Just to stick the landing, sure sure.”
“But Whemb’s goals-”
“Yeah, she got some real nice ones in there. Which, good job Loretta-”
A jump cut later and suddenly Imogen is pointing the camera over the locker room where the rest of her team is dancing to loud music. “CONCACAF Champions!”
Bella is wrangled into her side and they both shout at the camera in joy. Bella is still in her shorts but she’s wearing an undershirt that reads ‘Jesus Paid It All’ instead of her jersey. The US were upset by Mexico in the Semis and played to win third place while Canada managed to shut Mexico out 1-0.
“World Cup, here we come!”
There’s no shortage of elation in the locker room as Imogen’s teammates continue to jump around and celebrate. They’ve qualified for Germany, ahead of the US, and there’s no doubt in the room just how thrilled they are about it.
The screen goes dark for longer than three seconds before Imogen appears with Oliv at her side. They’re not in a locker room or on a field but the decor suggests a hotel function room of sorts. There’s a balloon that casually comes into frame as it pleases.
Imogen whispers. “Okay, so we’re in-”
She points the mic at Oliv. “Chongqing, China.” Somehow she pronounces it correctly. “For the Four Nation’s tournament.”
“It’s January the,” She mentally checks. “The fifteenth, 2011, and we’re all hiding out in this room-”
Oliv pulls down one of the balloons. “Because it’s party time.”
The balloon comes to rest between them as if they’re trying to hide behind it. “We’re waiting for Bella and Jacque to get back from the physio sessions that we forced them to take while we set the room up-” She spins the camera around, over various teammates with party poppers and hats, as well as tables full of food. “Non-alcoholic drinks.” Imogen points out.
“The reason being that, it’s their-” She turns to Oliv. “Is it second or third?”
“I thought it was their third,”
“It was 09.”
They both look back at the camera. “Because today is either their second or third wedding anniversary and we’re gonna surprise them because they think we’ve forgotten.”
When the camera is focused again the scene is swept up in a huge bursting shout of ‘SURPRISE’ that takes everyone off guard, including the couple just walking into the room. Jacque doubles over, more in laughter than shock as Bella is seen to jump behind her at the sudden sound.
“-ing Christ.” Bella rears up fanning herself to calm down. “Do you know how scared I just was?”
Sadie is the first to reach her and she picks Bella up off the ground. Ginny follows over with the camera trailing behind her as other teammates converge on the couple.
“Did you think we’d forgotten?” Imogen grabs Jacque into a tight hug that muffles the response Jacque gives her until she let’s go.
“-you’d go to this much trouble.”
“First married couple on the team.” Imogen looks back at the camera. “What else have we got to do?”
Small matter of playing against China, Sweden and the USA but no big deal or anything.
“So, let’s hear it, it’s been two or three years.” Someone shouts ‘two’ out of shot. “So it’s been two years.” Imogen continues.
Bella holds an arm across her body but doesn’t move away from Jacque. She ducks her head, overwhelmed by the effort gone into this.
“Still thinking it was a good idea?”
Though the camera doesn’t move to capture it, half the team whistles waiting for Jacque’s answer. “Uh first off, three years. What kind of teammates are you?”
Bella sniggers a little. “Didn’t even come to the wedding.” She reminds.
“Ouch, low blow there.”
“Second, this was probably the only good decision I made in the last two years.” Jacque gets more confident in front of the camera when Bella turns her body into her side so that she’s touching Jacque’s arm. “Apart from coming back and playing with you all.”
A cheer of approval goes around.
“So we just wanted to wish you both a happy anniversary-” Imogen throws up her arms as if pumping up an imaginary crowd. “-and all the best for the rest of the years.”
That’s the cue for the party poppers to go off and even as Imogen directs people all over the place the mic still manages to pick up someone’s request for the couple to kiss.
; It doesn’t even seem like a moments hesitation before Bella pushes up on her toes and the echoes of Sadie cat calling from behind the camera act as background music for Jacque to smile into the short but no less affectionate kiss to their friends’ outward enthusiasm.
The camera zooms in on Bella’s face and the glimmer of calm that appears on it when Jacque kisses the top of her head.
*
“Now if we can just get one with you both,” The photographer, who took their headshots a few days ago, is back to take some promo shots for the media to use.
Jacque playfully ushers her other teammates out of the way, dismissing them, before she comes to stand next to Bella. “Do you want us to pose or-”
Bella rolls her eyes. The banter hasn’t quite returned yet despite them discussing what happened at the apartment. Her apology had been sincere. Bella had admitted that she’d taken a chance and the consequences- “I brought them on myself.”
“And Blake?”
Blake hadn’t come around again but Bella had been to see him and now that they’re in Toronto, they’re calling each other. Still working things out.
“Just put your arm around her-” Bill asks. “That’s good.”
Bella puts her own arm around Jacque’s waist and returns the hug. They’ve got this down to a tee now. This isn’t the first photo-shoot they’ve had to get through in preparation for the World Cup. Umbro and some other media calls have picked up on their unique circumstances. And the Ginny Cam that caught their surprise anniversary party was posted barely two weeks ago along with the rest of the clips taken during qualifying and the four nations tournament at the start of the year, meaning that all vagueness that their marriage once had, was just blown out of the water. If Ginny had posted it straight after, instead of waiting to get more clips from their World Cup build up, Jacque doesn’t think the hype would have been so compact.
Jacque is kind of bored, almost, with how often she’s linked to the clip of them kissing. There’s a distance to watching it happen that doesn’t happen when she remembers it.