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“Alright! I’ll be ready in an hour. Leave me be until then, por favor.”

And she plops back down on the mattress.

While Piper rests face down in who knows what, I plunk in my headphones and crank up my tunes. Unpacking is unnecessary for just a two-night stay, but it’s something to do with my hands that doesn’t require a lot of brain power. My hope is to focus on this meaningless task instead of the other million things I want or need to think about.

After about 10 minutes, there are no items left to unpack and I glance around the room, trying to find something to keep me busy. I roll my eyes and smile when I realize I can hear Piper snoring softly, her face still buried in the bed spread

When I walk to the window and pull back the curtain to look out, I bark out a small laugh when I see we’re facing a brick wall. Classic. But when I press my forehead against the glass, I can see a sliver of life beyond and the ocean in the background.

Such a perfect metaphor for my life.

When I finally get brave enough to look out the window and into my future, I can’t actually see anything. But if I press a little harder, I can see hints of things to come, and I can try to prepare for them.

As my mind flips over and over the conversation I had with Regina yesterday, I realize that if I’m going to begin looking forward, I need to focus on building foundations for the important relationships in my life.

And I know exactly where to start.

* * * * *

“I’m just gonna get a few more laps around the block to cool down,” I say to Piper as we finish up our required run two hours later. “I’ll catch up with you in a bit, okay?”

Piper strikes a pose, her hands on her hips.

“Girl, come on! Don’t push yourself too hard the day before a game.”

I giggle at her wrinkled nose.

“I promise, cool down laps. You know I’m intense about cool downs.”

Piper huffs but gives me a small smile and waves as she heads into the hotel.

I start into a slow jog around the block, and when I’m a decent ways away from the hotel I pull my phone from the band on my arm. My heart pounds loudly in my chest as I scroll to Mack’s number and press the green button.

I spent the entire jog with the girls thinking about what I will say to him. Do I have the ability to really express how I feel? Am I brave enough to be honest? Will he be open enough to meeting me half way?

“Hey.”

His voice is a low rumble through the phone, and it sounds like he’s trying to be quiet.

“Hey, it’s RJ.”

He chuckles, understated and warm.

“Yes, I know who it is. What can I do for you?”

I lean up against the back of a bench on the side of the road.

“Can we talk?”

And I’m met with silence.

“I mean in person. I just have a few things…” I let my voice trail off, feeling a little unsure now that it seems like I will have to convince him to see me.

“Sure, just… give me 10 minutes and I can head out. Where do you want to meet?”

I exhale a relieved breath and look around quickly for points of interest or ways I can tell Mack where I am.

“There’s a park about 3 blocks away from the hotel on G Street. Wanna meet there?”