Ali Vali - Love Match

"A nap would be nice."

"Done. Come on, unless you have something else to talk to her about, Gary?" Parker's coach shook his head and kissed them both on the cheek before leaving. Parker slipped on some sandals and a pair of light sweat pants and was ready to go. Her new greatest fan, Bobbie had offered them a ride back to Emily's apartment making her happy that she wouldn't feel the need to make small talk.

When they stepped outside there were a number of fans waiting for Parker hoping to get her autograph before she left the complex for the day. Emily stepped to the side to let the kids that were trying to get Parker's attention get closer. None of them noticed the black ski mask being pulled down toward the back of the small crowd. Emily was concentrating on the rapt little faces looking up at their tennis god until the glimmer in the sunlight made her shift her focus to the right.

Emily's scream made Parker turn her body around to see what the problem was. They all watched in horror as the knife sliced in to the hilt. It happened so fast that Parker was stunned into stillness. The crying that Emily was doing is what made her look down. The sight made her think she was in shock since no pain accompanied the attack.

"Oh you're going to die for this," threatened Parker when she figured what had stopped the knife from going in.

The player's outrage is what made the attacker look down with her. The knife meant for Parker was now buried in the large black bag slung over her shoulder. One racket less, and at least part of the blade would have cut into her side. Before the idiot that had tried to stab her could pull the knife out, Parker dropped the bag and took a swing. There was no need for another one because security had arrived and taken over for her.

"Are you hurt?" Emily's question was almost not understandable through her tears. She had had been with Parker for less than three weeks and she had been attacked twice. She ran her hands over the long body praying she wouldn't find any blood.

"Em, calm down, I'm not hurt. I can't say the same for that asshole if security gives me a few minutes alone." Parker pointed to the masked assailant who was struggling not to be cuffed.

Once they had them under control, on of the police officers pulled the mask off to see if Parker could identify her attacker, getting a surprise when both she and Emily could. The face was recognizable even with the split lip Parker had provided with the one punch she had gotten in.

"Gail?" Both Parker and Emily asked together.

Continued in Chapter 7 (Conclusion)

Comments to: terrali20@yahoo.com

The Athenaeum's Scroll Archive

~ Game, Set and Match ~

by Ali Vali

Disclaimers:See Part 1

Chapter 7

"Ma'am, please you can't attack a person in handcuffs." One of the security personnel was looking at Parker to see if she was willing to help him pry Emily off the woman the police were trying to take into custody. The second the ski mask had come off everyone had been taken by surprise when Emily had gone after Gail with the intent to cause her major pain, and had actually gotten in a few blows before the security personnel got a hold of her.

"Why the hell not? She just tried to kill Parker. I would think that gives me the right to punch her." She kept her fist balled up in case the security officer agreed with her.

"Come on, slugger, before they drag you off to the pokey too," said Parker. It was Gail that tired to advance on them when Parker came closer and hugged Emily to her body. The tall guy that had been holding her just knocked Gail to the ground and sat on her until the police that had just arrived could take her into custody.

"Do you know this woman, Ms. King?" The man asking flashed his badge as two other officers took Gail toward a waiting patrol car.

Parker explained how she knew Gail and why she thought the woman had attacked her. The one thing she didn't know was if it had been Gail that had attacked her that night outside the restaurant. When Gary, Parker's sisters and Bobbie came looking for them, the police had already taken Gail away.

"Are you sure you aren't hurt?" Emily wanted to cry again now that the reason for her anger was sitting in the back of a police cruiser. She had wanted to die when she had watched the blade plunge into Parker's side with all the force Gail could muster.

"I'm fine, baby, I swear. She didn't touch me, but I wish security hadn't gotten here so fast." The small hands didn't stop until Emily was satisfied that the knife had only ripped into the bag and not Parker.

"Why?"

"Because," started Parker as she bent and unzipped her bad pulling out two of the rackets. "The bitch sliced through all my gut and the guy I like to string my rackets is back in Florida." The two rackets Parker held up both had a matching hole off the center.

"I'm sure we can find someone who can do them to you liking in the city, honey." Emily wanted to laugh at the face Parker was giving her, but figured Parker wouldn't appreciate it. The feeling of overwhelming humor came again considering what could have happened to Parker when Gary noticed what his star was holding and tears sprung to his eyes.

"All of them?" The coach's partner asked. Parker nodded her head to Nick's question getting him to start dialing a number into his cell phone.

Beside him Gary's only comment was, "And Günter's back in Tampa." Emily figured they would eventually clue her into what the big deal was as the group examined every racquet in the bag.

The ride back to Emily's apartment was traveled in silence once they were done talking to the police detective assigned to the case. Bobbie looked in the rearview mirror a couple of times when the traffic slowed to see Emily holding a sleeping Parker. When their eyes met, Emily held up crossed fingers and smiled. Having an ex-lover try to murder the current one was a new experience for her. I didn't know I was worth fighting over to this extreme.

After a shower Parker went in to take a nap alone since Bobbie and Emily were going to walk up the street to pick up some food at the restaurant down the street. Emily had invited the King sisters and Natasha over for dinner after they swore eating on the floor wouldn't be a problem for them. They were a half a block away on their way back when the two women noticed a car drive up and two men get out.

Both of the athletic looking guys retrieved large black bags out of the trunk of their car then consulted a slip of paper as if looking for an address. Before they had a chance to start walking the street looking for it, Emily and Bobbie arrived.

"Can I help you?" Emily shifted the bag of food in her arms and kept a good distance from the two strangers.

"Please, if you could tell me where this address is?" The tall blonde man had a heavy German accent and held the paper in his hand for Emily to take.

"That's an easy one, since it's mine. Is there something you want?" Emily handed him his paper back and waited for an answer.

"We have a delivery for Parker King, and Gary said this is where we could find her." Emily recognized the shape of the bags as similar to the one Parker carried her gear in and smiled figuring Parker would like whatever might be in them.

"Racquets, I'm guessing?"

"Yes, ma'am. A few of the ones that were cut today and some extras our boss thought she would like to try. The company flew Gunter in on a special flight to take care of everything, so hopefully he'll be finished with the rest of them by tonight." The front door of the building opened and Parker came out wearing the sweat pants and t-shirt she had left on the bed that morning. Looking better rested and wearing shoes she stepped beside Emily and gave her a kiss.