The Other Side

“Deuce!”

“No way!” Chris glared at Stephanie. “That was out!”

His sister snorted.

“No way was that out! You’re just annoyed that you’re not winning anymore!”

Chris swung around and made a pleading gesture at his mother, who sat on a sun lounger working on her laptop.

“Mom, that was out, wasn’t it?”

Charli looked up and held up her hands in surrender.

“Don’t bring me into this again. I’m staying out of this one.”

The gate squeaked open and Mark stepped onto the court. He laughed when his saw his son’s scowl.

“Are you two squabbling again?”

“I got it on the line, Dad,” Stephanie called out, “But Chris says it’s out.”

“Then you know the rules.” Mark winked at Charli. “If you can’t agree play the point again.”

“That’s not fair!”

“Then don’t argue about the points.” Mark approached Charli, speaking to his children but looking at his wife. “You can’t argue with the umpire.”

“Those two will argue over anything.” Charli pointed out.

Mark grinned as he leaned over to kiss her.

“I know.”

He settled into the chair beside her, linking his fingers through hers as Charli scrolled through her emails. On the court, Chris and Stephanie grumbled but Chris scooped up the ball and they set up to replay the point.

They didn’t argue all the time but when it came to tennis both children were very competitive. Mark had drilled it into all of their children to go after every point and not slow up when they think they’re winning. They understood that and Charli felt immense pride whenever she saw them play.

The last sixteen years felt like they had flown by. They had settled into parenthood nicely with Stephanie, Charli deciding to quit her job and work freelance from home so she could take care of Stephanie while Mark carried on playing tennis. With his income he could easily cover all three of them and Stephen made sure he remembered that he had a family. It was hard at times when he was still playing on world tournaments but they had managed, even when they argued about the amount of time he spent away.

Their night of lovemaking when Stephanie was six weeks old hadn’t been fully protected; Charli ended up pregnant again, this time with twins. She gave birth to Chris and Lee when Stephanie was eleven months old and then she vowed no more children. Mark agreed and took time off from playing to help out. He became very adept at changing two babies while playing with his daughter. Charli couldn’t help but fall in love with him more every day.

When the twins were three, Mark decided to retire. It wasn’t something he gave into lightly but he finished on a high with an overall win in the ATF tournaments and thought it was better to leave on a high than on a low. But he didn’t move away from tennis entirely; Mark became a qualified coach and umpire, still traveling to tournaments to officiate matches and spending his spare time teaching kids at nearby schools. He loved it and Charli could see him becoming more relaxed than he had been as a player.

Her freelance business was thriving and she managed to bring in a salary that almost matched his six-figure pay check. Their children were smart, all of them on the honor roll at school, and athletic. Stephanie and Chris were on the high school tennis squad and played as a mixed doubles team. Stephanie had also represented the United States in the US Open at junior level, reaching the quarter-finals. Lee, however, had chosen a different path and played lacrosse. He had Mark’s speed and agility and used it to his advantage. All of them ran track and Charli had days where she was in the car all day, shuttling them from place to place so they could get to their various activities.

But Charli wouldn’t have it any other way. She loved her kids and she loved her husband. Things were good.

“Steph!” Her other son Lee appeared on the terrace, waving to catch his sister’s attention. “Your boyfriend’s here.”

Charli looked up and frowned at her daughter.

“Boyfriend? Since when have you had a boyfriend?”

Charli and Stephanie were close. Stephanie told her everything. She certainly told Charli when she was dating. But since breaking up with her last boyfriend at the start of the year she hadn’t been seeing anyone.

Stephanie went bright red and began to jog towards the gate, avoiding eye contact with her mother.

“I gotta go.”

Sensing something was wrong, Charli put her laptop down and stood up, blocking her daughter’s path. Mark sat forward with a frown. He had also sensed something was off.

“Stephanie.” Charli ducked her head to try and meet her daughter’s eyes. “What are you not telling me?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You’re acting guilty and you’re not looking at me. What have you done?”

“Nothing, Mom.”

Stephanie bit her lip, glancing at Chris. Chris shook his head.

“Don’t look at me to help, Steph. Your bed. You lay in it.”

Charli hoped that was just an expression and not literal. Her children were too young to be having s*x. She glared at Stephanie.

“Tell me.”

Stephanie finally looked up, squaring her shoulders. But her eyes held fear, which shocked Charli. She was scared of them?

“I’m dating a guy in my year.” Stephanie gulped. “His name is Drew Henson.”

Henson. Charli felt a chill go over her body. It couldn’t be.

“What was that?” Mark stood. He looked incredulous. “You’re dating Andy Henson’s son? Since when has he had a kid?”