Radclyffe - Crossroads

“Okay, thanks,” Hollis said.

Linda waved her fingers and hurried on. Hollis sauntered over to one of the tables and grabbed a Guinness. As the weatherman had promised, the day was clear and hot. Afternoon temperatures in the eighties were expected.

“Hollis—just the person I need,” Robin said from behind her.

Hollis turned. “What’s up?”

“I need some help stringing this volleyball net. Come on.”

“Uh, sure.” Hollis followed Robin down the length of the sloping yard to a grassy area on the far side of a big rectangular swimming pool.

“This looks good,” Robin said. “You hold one of the poles here and I’ll get the other one in opposite you.”

“Got it.” Hollis gripped the flexible metal pole with the attached net and steadied it against her hip as Robin unrolled the rest of the net and walked twenty feet away. Robin worked the pole into the ground until that end was steady, and then Hollis put the net on some tension and got her end into the ground.

“Good job. Listen,” Robin said, “how good are you at volleyball?”

“Huh, I don’t know. I haven’t played since high school, and it wasn’t really my game then.”

“But you’ve played before?”

“Like I said—about a million years ago.”

“Well, that’s about a million years more recent than most of the people here. You’re on my team.”

“Actual—”

Before Hollis could protest or come up with a plausible excuse, Robin was already powering around the yard, tapping people on the shoulder. It appeared she was going to have to play volleyball.

Forty minutes later, her T-shirt was soaked, her hair was matted to her neck, and their side was up two points. Robin was relentless, coaching the team with a combination of enthusiasm and dire predictions as to what might happen if they lost. Mostly it sounded like no one would get anything to eat if they weren’t victorious, and at the moment, that was inspiration enough. Hollis was starving.

The serve came her way, she set the ball, and Quinn spiked it for a point. Robin yelled, “One more point.” Kids ran around the perimeter of the court, cheering on their parents. Hollis heard her name called and glanced to her right. Callie, in a bright yellow sundress and green sneakers, waved and Hollis grinned.

“Hey, Callie.” She looked for Annie but didn’t see her. “Where’s your—” A hard thud against her temple knocked her off balance and she went down. She rolled onto her back and tried to figure out what had just happened. The grass smelled sweetly of crushed clover and white fluffy clouds swirled overhead.

“Holy crap!” Robin leaned over her. “You really got nailed. You okay?”

“Yeah, I think so. I guess I should’ve been watching the game.” Hollis rubbed her temple and felt a tender area as big as a lemon above her left eye. “Smarts.”

“Hey, Hollis,” Honor said, kneeling on her other side. “That was pretty impressive. Except I think when you hit the ball with your head you’re supposed to be aiming for it to go back over the net. Or maybe that’s soccer. How’s your vision?”

“All systems go.” Hollis pushed up to a sitting position. “Really, I’m fine. I just got caught by surprise, that’s all.”

“Well, we better put some ice on it.” Honor cupped Hollis’s chin and tilted her face up, studying her intently. “I think you’re going to have a shiner.”

“Oh, that’s ridiculous.” Hollis pushed to her feet and swayed, a little bit dizzy.

“Whoa.” Robin grasped her arm. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, really, I am.” Hollis felt like an idiot, happy now that Annie wasn’t there. How uncool could she be?

“Well, at least sit in the shade and I’ll get some ice,” Robin said.

“No, I can get it. You have a game to win.” Hollis gave Robin a little push toward the field. “I don’t want everybody on our side to go hungry just because I wasn’t paying attention.”

“If you’re sure,” Robin said.

“I’m sure. Really, I’m fine.” Hollis hurried off the field so the game could continue and spied Callie staring at her with an uncertain expression. She knelt down beside her. “Hi, Callie. I wasn’t watching the game and I got smacked with the ball, but I’m okay.”

“It knocked you down.”

“Yeah, it did.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Well, it stings a little bit, but it’ll be fine. Where’s your mom?”

“She had a baby call last night. I stayed with Suzy and Dan and Gillian and Mark. I came with them.”

“Having fun?”

“Yes. I’m going swimming soon.”

“That’s great.” The wave of disappointment was back, stronger than before. Hollis didn’t know what to make of it. She liked Annie and looked forward to seeing her, but the intensity of her reaction wasn’t like her. “I’m going to go get some ice. You have a good time today, okay?”

“Okay.”

Hollis found an empty lounge chair and, after securing a few ice cubes in a plastic bag, stretched out and pressed the makeshift cold compress to her forehead. It helped with the sting, but not the embarrassment. She couldn’t believe she’d let herself get smacked by the ball. Her head throbbed, but she actually felt pretty good. The exertion had been a welcome switch-up from her usual workout on the bike, and she’d enjoyed being part of the team. She closed her eyes and drifted in the sunshine. When a weight on the lounge signaled someone had settled beside her, she opened her eyes. Annie smiled down at her. Hollis’s heart gave a little jog.

“Hi,” Hollis said.

“Hi yourself.” Annie pushed the cold compress away from Hollis’s forehead and studied her seriously. “Callie told me you got hurt. Are you all right?”

“I’m not really hurt,” Hollis said hastily, dropping the icepack on the grass by the chair. She pushed her damp hair out of her face. “Just a silly accident. Nothing much.”

“Hmm,” Annie said, lightly tracing the bruise on Hollis’s face. “I think you might be understating things. You’ve got a lump on your forehead and your upper eyelid is starting to turn purple.”

Hollis held very still. She didn’t want Annie to stop stroking her. The light caress sent tendrils of heat streaming through her. “All from a friendly backyard game.”

Annie laughed. “I’ve been watching some of that game. If I didn’t know they were all friends, I wouldn’t believe it. Talk about competitive.”

“Well, I guess you have to consider the crowd. Pretty much everybody here is competitive by nature.”

“I’m glad it’s not more serious.” Annie dropped her hand and leaned away. “Have you had anything to eat?”

“I didn’t get around to it before Robin commandeered me to play.”

“I was just about to fix myself and Callie a plate. I’ll get you one too. Anything you can’t eat?”

“No, believe me, anything you bring will be welcome.” Hollis rubbed her stomach. “I’m actually starving.”

“Me too.”

“Callie told me you got called out last night. Were you up all night?”

“Not quite,” Annie said noncommittally. “I got a little sleep this morning.”

“Just another typical Saturday night, then,” Hollis said.

Annie nodded. “I guess you know what that’s like.”

“Oh, absolutely. I can have the quietest week in the world, but as soon as Friday afternoon comes around, it gets busy. Babies just seem to know when the sun goes down, especially if it’s a weekend.”

“You’ve got that right.” Annie stood abruptly. “Well, let me get you that food.”

Hollis watched her wend her way through the crowd to the table, take plates from a stack, and start filling them, quickly and efficiently. No one ever waited on her unless she was home. No one worried if she’d had enough sleep or enough to eat or had a chance to decompress after a big case. She liked things that way and hadn’t missed it. Until now, when Annie reminded her how nice it was to have someone who cared.