Game, Set And Match

“Ouch. Not nice of the elusive Mr. Jameson. I feel your pain girlfriend.”

“Yep. The story of my life.

“Speaking of your life, how’s the move into the new house.”

“It’s gonna take some time to get used to living on my own when I lived with my parents all my life. I finally unpacked and it’s looking livable, you should come and visit someday Rosie.”

“Well if we didn’t have the charity ball this weekend we could have thrown a housewarming party for you. We can always do it the following week if you don’t have anything planned.”

“Sounds like a good idea, you would get to meet my parents. They are dying to see what I’ve done with the place and ensure that it’s okay and I’m settled in, you know how family can get.”

“Don’t I know it, being a single mom isn’t easy and now that Patrick is in his teens he’s been giving me nothing but attitude of late.”

“Patrick is such a sweet child don’t sweat him too hard.”

“Well, his father lets him get away with everything. I swear he does it to get back at me because he knows I wouldn’t approve. Lo do me a favor and stay single for life. Men are pretty disgusting creatures to live with.”

“What’s that saying again? You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them.

“Whoever came up with that saying was a brilliant genius.”

“So the rumors are right you’re on the hunt for husband #3?”

“Lo, the single life is not for me and Patrick needs a real father figure in his life, not that spineless stingy weasel that calls himself his father.”

“Well, all the best Rosie, thanks for everything you’ve done.”

“It’s never too late for you to call when you need advice, keep your head up and I will see you at the charity ball later?”

“Yes, I’ll be there Rosie. Wouldn’t miss it for the world. ”

“Thanks Lo. Make sure you’re dressed in your best and put those haters to shame.” They both laughed and said their goodbyes accordingly.

Rosie Pilsner had hired Lorraine to work at the country club. She had been impressed with Lorraine’s fondness for a sport they both loved. The fact that Lo was a celebrity in her own right added to her appeal, albeit a famous one. Rosie often playfully commented that she was envious that Loraine had found her passion and turned it into a successful career with longevity. She herself had played the sport in high school and even though she had talent and could have went further, her parents weren’t supportive and encouraged her to marry into money at a young age. Rosie never seemed bitter as she was on the lookout for husband number three. Previous husbands had left her with money but Rosie had expensive tastes and needed more to support her lavish lifestyle.

Men viewed Rosie as a pariah and a black widow that would trap them and leave them broken when she had enough, so they stayed away from her. Rumor had it that she fabricated the stories that destroyed her first two marriages. The first husband she claimed, cheated on her and she produced sordid pictures of him drunk out of his mind in bed with a naked woman. Everyone that knew him testified that his job was his life he would never cheat, he had been set up but the judge ruled in Rosie’s favor. She also won full custody of their only son that he loved so much. He never signed a prenuptial agreement and she milked him dry.

The child loved the father and resented the mother, for after she won the case her fawning over him ceased and she neglected him and left him to his own devices. She spitefully took him away from the dad and occasionally dangled him like a bone in front of a starving dog whenever she needed more money. Until she eventually got tired of that game and moved on to husband number two. The second husband she claimed was abusive, when she wanted a divorce. He said her wounds were self-inflicted and doctored. He had an iron clad prenuptial agreement that nothing short of death could get him out of. If he died everything went to his twin, so to prevent further scandal to the family name they settled out of court and she got a hefty sum out of him.

Lorraine and Rosie’s son got along well. The teen thwarted any attempts the mother made to bond with him whenever she had a thought in her head for anyone but herself. She often marveled how at ease Lo was around children but hid her jealousy of the bond that developed between coach and student. Rosie wanted all to believe that she was the benevolence of good will. Her son should be grateful to her for Lo in the first place after all it was her that hired her. Lo didn’t have an easy time with the son at first due to his lack of interest in the world around him. For him the separation from his father, his only support system, had forced his world to crumble around him, his grades fell in school and his friendships dwindled because he stopped hanging around his friends as him mom’s gaudy dressing embarrassed him. He couldn’t stand her meddling and excessive need to manipulate and control his life.

When she introduced him to the new coach his teenager hormones developed an instant crush. He realized that there was more to his coach than just a pretty face and began to view her more like a real friend and mother than his own had ever been to him. Despite his lack of interest at first, tennis became like an outlet for all his aggression, pent up frustrations and bitterness to his mom. Rosie hired Lorraine outside the club to coach her son personally when she saw that he had talent. Her radiant personality caused the son to gravitate towards Lorraine more than his own miserable mother. The boy trusted Lo and would go to her with all his problems. Rosie would often joke that she was replacing her as mother to the child, for he shared all his accomplishments and disappointments first with Lorraine before he told even his friends.

Lorraine remembered when she first met Patrick he was warming up on the tennis court. Smacking the ball hard against the wall, a battle that was a test of will with the wall being the undisputed winner. The teen was enraged at being forced to give up the freedom of his afternoons by his mother who never ever asked his opinion on matters just dictated and expected him to fall in line. Always threatening to withhold money from him and he knew she loved money more that she did her own flesh and it grieved him. He ignored Lo’s presence as if she wasn’t there, this was Lo’s first paying gig in this area and she was determined to make it a success and not muck it up. Her winning over the teen’s affections would land her more referrals when other parents saw how good a coach she could be when doing a complete 360 with a recalcitrant teen. She would do everything within her power to make this child her friend.

“Hello.”

“Hi.” He answered shyly. His voice was so soft she barely heard him.

“I’m Lorraine Whittle but you can call me Lo since everyone else does.” No response from Patrick, unabashed Lo charged on.

“Your mom hired me to coach you in tennis, she said you inherited all your talent from her and expects great things from you.”

Patrick’s eyes narrowed at the corners, cold and uncaring. They silently screamed shut the hell up he was so enraged his fingers trembled while he gripped the racket tightly. The only way he could cope was to ignore Lorraine’s presence and went back to smacking the tennis ball hard against the wall. Lo was unfazed, she continued to watch his techniques as he executed his serves. She mentioned that his technique was incorrect but he blatantly ignored her and rolled his eyes as if to say, tell me something I don’t know.