Ali Vali - Love Match

"Will it affect my play?" asked Parker.

"Well, Ms. King, I wouldn't recommend playing at least until these come out."

"You are kidding right? I haven't busted my ass all summer to watch the U.S. Open from my hotel room." Parker was about to get up and walk out in search of another hospital if the guy's answers didn't change.

"No, one pull from playing tennis and these babies I'm about to put in could rip. I would advise against playing until you are healed."

"Parker, could you just lie there until the nice doctor is finished? The tournament isn't for another two weeks, we'll be fine." Gary was busy studying the bulletin board in the room in an effort to keep his eyes off Parker's bloody chest, and the wicked looking slice running along her ribcage on her left side. The police had been called, but without a description of the attacker they were at a loss as to were to begin.

"These are going to take longer than that to come out," the doctor added as he probed the area with his fingers trying to decide if it was all right to proceed.

"Just start sewing and let's get this over with." Parker wasn't about to argue her playing capabilities with some guy she had just met who looked like the ink on his diploma was still wet.

"I really enjoyed your play at Wimbledon this year." The ER doctor started suturing when the local he had administered had taken effect. The last person he had expected to see during his shift was Parker King.

"Doc, don't take this the wrong way ok, but more suturing and less talking would be good. I appreciate what you said but I really would like to go back to my room and lie down. Religious zealots with large knives do that to me, so please forgive me if I'm being rude." Parker just watched after that as the young attendant placed ten small neat stitches in her chest. She had put the attack out of her mind as she buttoned her stained shirt back up and concentrated instead on seeing Emily again.

Small world indeed, Captain. What were the odds of sharing her morning run with the woman Emily was now sleeping with? Parker's gracious acceptance of the woman's good wishes that morning was polite, but did not invite any further invitation for a long conversation. She wondered now if the knowledge she had now would have changed that since she had felt the tall blonde's presence running just behind her for almost the two hours she was out there. I wonder if Emily told her that she knows me? Parker figured they were having a good laugh at her expense now.

"Ready?"

"What, I'm sorry?" Parker finished dressing and looked up to a worried Gary.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, let's go. Doc, thanks for the great service. If you need tickets just let Gary know and he'll set you up," said Parker shaking hands the man and signing a few autographs for the nurses before leaving.

The next morning Parker woke up with a throbbing pain in her chest and someone banging on the door of her room. "Gary, we are going to have to talk about these accommodations, man." Parker grumbled to herself as she got up and opened the drapes so she could find her robe. With an impatient yank, she opened the door pulling her stitches a bit. "What?"

"You royal bitch." More than one guest was standing at their door so they could watch Alicia scream at Parker having been awakened by the pounding. The tennis player smiled and waved to one young woman standing at her door in just a t-shirt and a smile of her own.

"To what do I owe this pleasure to this morning, sweetheart?"

"Don't sweetheart me, you bitch, how could you?" Alicia slammed the tabloid she had rolled up into Parker's chest before walking passed her into the room. "Oh my God, I'm sorry, Park." The small singer went back to help Parker back into the room since she was doubled over in pain. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, but if you insist on hitting me any more this morning, I will be forced to ask you to leave." Parker leaned on her former lover and walked over to the chairs by the windows. She could understand why the woman was upset with her, but after the wine incident from the night before Parker thought the temperamental artist had gotten it out of her system.

"Come on, Park, you know I didn't mean it but I saw that trash this morning and I was upset." The news rag Alicia had brought with her was lying unforgotten by the door. Alicia went over and picked it up handing it to Parker. When she unfurled it, Parker felt like she had been hit for the second time that day.

The headlines read 'Lovers' Quarrel Lands Player in Hospital and Singer in Jail.' The picture underneath it was of Parker and Gary leaving the ER the night before. The photographer had gotten a great shot of her wine and blood stained clothes as they stepped through the door of the emergency department.

"Come on, sweetheart, people aren't going to believe this garbage." Parker smiled and held her hand out to Alicia. She let out a small chuckle when all Alicia did was cross her arms over her chest and tap her foot.

"I am many things, Parker King, but easy isn't one of them." Despite her words, Alicia moved closer to Parker but stayed out of reach.

"I don't think you're easy, just like I don't think you are a rabid ex-lover who stabbed me." Parker held her hand out again and this time Alicia took her up on the invitation. She sat in Parker's lap getting reacquainted with how great Parker felt.

"You hurt my feelings."

"I'm sorry. You're right, I'm a bitch. I was heading home for the summer and I figured that's not how you wanted to spend yours so I bailed. I'm just a tennis bum with a couple of good years left if I'm lucky, while you have years in the limelight. This was my way of helping you out."

Alicia let out a laugh of her own for the lame explanation before standing up and pulling the tie of Parker's robe open. She dropped to her knees and placed a gentle kiss on the swollen patch of skin that was help together by the black stitches. As her hands caressed the long legs at her sides, Alicia asked, "You know something, Parker?"

"What's that?"

"You're so full of shit." Alicia leaned forward again and bit down on an inviting nipple. She sucked at it until she heard Parker moan. "You know something else?"

It took Parker a moment to pick up the pieces of her brain that formed coherent speech before she could answer. She was betting that every guy and gay woman that had seen Alicia on stage would give their right arm to trade places with her right now. "What?"

"I happen to find that an adorable trait in you." Slowly Alicia rose from her knees and stood before a now aroused Parker. "You like what you see?" Parker nodded her head as Alicia raised her arms over her head and waited. This was the part where the beautiful scorned woman usually said 'too bad' and walked out she was guessing. Alicia surprised her by stripping off the tight pullover she had on followed by the jeans. With the slow sexy walk that drove her fans into a frenzy when she did it in her show, Alicia moved to the bed and laid down. "Then come on over here and see how much better it feels."

Parker hesitated. She wanted nothing more than to make Alicia happy, but it was only sex. Do I want to continue to go after relationships I know won't last? She liked Alicia but there was no chance for love. Alicia saw the uncertainty that clouded Parker's face and helped her out.

"No strings attached, lover, none at all. Call it pity sex since you're hurt."

"It's the least you can do since you stabbed me and all." Parker threw the paper toward the bed getting Alicia to laugh. When she got up and dropped the robe, Alicia sighed.

"You're a bitch, but goddamn if you aren't the best looking one I've ever laid eyes on." The wetness between the singer's legs doubled when she felt Parker's skin cover her own when the tennis player laid down and covered her. I'll make it harder to walk away this time, Parker. Alicia couldn't believe how much she had missed this with Parker.