Read Online Love Game - Season 2012 by M.B. Gerard - Free Book Online

looked at Natsumi, baffled by
the revelation.
    “Are you saying you haven’t been in Sydney
all this time?” Agnes asked. “But your first match is tomorrow. Haven’t you
practiced?”
    Natsumi shrugged. “No, after that first
round loss, I thought I’d throw in a mini vacation. Just to unwind, you see?”
    Monica, Candice and Agnes looked at each
other. No, they didn’t see the reason for that. If you lost a match the only
reasonable thing to do was get to back on the practice court and work on your
shots. Shaking their heads over Natsumi’s new approach to improving her
performance they decided to head out to the bar straight away.
    “So, where did you spend your mini
vacation?” Monica asked suspiciously, as they headed outside into the warm
evening air. Perhaps Natsumi had a new girlfriend? Or an affair? How outrageous
that Monica had no idea.
    “A secret place,” Natsumi answered.
    “Alone?” Monica asked. They followed the
Japanese player down the street towards Coogee Beach. Natsumi seemed to
hesitate which was surprising. Usually, Natsumi wasn’t shy about entertaining
her friends with stories about her raunchy off-season affairs.
    “No,” Natsumi finally said, more to herself
than to her three friends. She didn’t seem to be willing to say much more.
Monica turned to Candice and Agnes who collectively shrugged. It was rare to
see Natsumi as peeved as this.
    After Natsumi’s loss, she had left Auckland
on the same evening. She had seemed to be brooding over the first round defeat
when Monica saw her in the hallway, but that was normal after suffering an
upset very early in a tournament. They hadn’t talked much in that moment, and
even before that day Monica hadn’t taken the time for an in-depth conversation.
    “I asked Gabriella to play doubles with
me,” Monica announced to begin a new topic.
    “To actually play tennis?” Candice winked
at her. Monica jabbed her in the ribs.
    “Yes, play. At the Olympics. For the United
States of America,” Monica laughed.
    “What about Lulu?” Agnes had turned around
to Monica and Candice. “I can’t believe they won’t play.”
    Monica shrugged. “It didn’t look like
Gabriella wanted to go back to playing with her sister. So, basically I’m just
helping out.”
    “I heard Gabriella is playing for our
team,” Natsumi remarked pensively. “Elise was saying something about her in
Auckland, but didn’t want to elaborate.”
    Then the Japanese player began to silently
move her lips while lifting one finger after another.
    “What are you counting?” Agnes asked.
    Natsumi shook her head. She had stopped at
eight fingers pointed out.
    “Never mind,” she said.
     
    ***
     
     
    “Why are we having breakfast at this
unearthly hour?” Agnes asked biting into a strip of bacon.
    “Some of the younger players complained
that the dinner would have gone too late,” Candice explained. “They go to bed
early.”
    Agnes shook her head in amazement. “Only
five years ago the Tennis Nurse trading dinner was actually quite the
party. Now we are having breakfast at 6:30 in the morning.”
    “The kids like it,” Natsumi murmured. She
was only having a black coffee, as she couldn’t eat that early in the morning,
she had explained to Agnes and Candice. With squinted eyes she watched a group
of younger players trading books.
    “I’ll give you Court 69 for Tennis Nurse and The Bad Bounce ,” Chili García López negotiated with
Martina Rodriguez. Stacks of novels were piling up in front of them.
    “ ¡No jodas! ” Martina exclaimed. “My
grandmother read Court 69 to me when I still fit into a racquet bag. A
kid’s racquet bag.”
    “I also have The Mystery of The Popular
Pusher , but I’m still reading it. I can give it to you in a week,” Chili begged,
but Martina waved her hand dismissively.
    “I just finished The Case of The Lotus
Lily ,” Mint mentioned to Martina from across the table. “You can have it
now for the The Bad Bounce