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“I could help you,” Casey said. “I’ve been thinking about getting into coaching football a bit. We could chuck a ball around a bit, maybe on the weekend if you don’t have a game?”
Rina looked up. “Really? God, I’d love to.” She looked suddenly a little brighter.
Casey moved towards her and offered her right hand out.
“You want a hand getting back over?” she asked, calm and cool and impressive as ever.
Rina nodded and turned reaching her left arm to Casey’s right one.
“OK, I’ve got you,” Casey said, taking a tight grip of her hand. “Here, hold on tight to my shoulder as you turn around.”
Amira held her breath as Rina spun around using Casey to balance as she climbed back over the railing onto the bridge. She felt herself relax as Rina’s sneakered feet were back on solid ground. Casey had been amazing. Even though Casey sometimes seemed unfocussed at work, clearly this was her genius, working one on one with the athletes.
“You want a lift home with us?”
Rina nodded weakly under her grey hoodie. She was so tall, Amira felt dwarfed, suddenly. Even Casey looked almost small next to her.
“Will your dad be at home? Will you be ok till the morning? I can see you first thing tomorrow? I can pick you up on my way in to the hospital if you want?”
Rina sighed and nodded as she squeezed her tall frame into the back seat of Casey’s truck. “Yeah, I feel a bit better. I think I can make it till the morning. My dad is home, yeah.”
“OK, I’ll have a chat with him when we drop you off. Do you mind if I tell him a bit about what happened? I can keep the details private but I think he should know how you are feeling?”
Rina nodded again. “Yeah, ok.” She paused for a moment tipping her head back and closing her eyes.
“Also, I was thinking, I don’t have a game on the weekend. Were you serious about going to the beach and throwing a football around?”
“Absolutely!” Casey smiled. “Saturday at 9am on the beach? Although you’ll have to do all the running- my old knee won’t take it!”
Rina laughed and Amira felt warm inside. Casey had saved this girl.
“Maybe we could meet up with Dr. Alvarez afterwards for breakfast?”
Rina nodded. “Sure. I’d like that.”
Amira smiled across at Casey and their hands met on the gear stick. Amira felt electricity run through her.
I love her.
“Do you want some coffee?”Casey questioned quietly as she looked at Amira sitting on her couch. Amira looked about as exhausted as Casey felt after the long night they’d had. It was 1am now, and maybe having coffee wasn’t a great idea, but Casey was one of those people who drank coffee at any hour of the day or night.
Amira looked tired, but still lovely. She shook her head.
“Maybe, we could just talk?” Amira asked, quietly.
“Sure,” Casey said and sat down next to her. It had been a long night by the time they had delivered Rina safely home and Casey had had a serious chat with her father. He was trying to do the best for his daughter, but her mom wasn’t around and clearly he was struggling to cope on his own with the gifted yet troubled young athlete Rina had become.
Casey watched as tears began to fill Amira’s beautiful hazel eyes.
“It’s alright,” Casey murmured, moving closer to Amira and stroking her hair gently. “I know it was a rough night, but everything’s okay now. Rina’s gonna be just fine—”
“I’m not crying because of Rina,” Amira sniffled. “I mean, it should be about that, but it’snotabout that. You were amazing with her. You saved her life.” The tears ran down her cheeks. “I’m crying because, well, I love you…”
“Amira—”
“I love you and I’m sorry for not telling you sooner and I’m sorry for fucking things up between us. I’m sorry for everything with Rachel and for how I treated you the past couple of weeks.”
Amira took a deep breath. “I thought I owed it to Rachel to be there for her when she was struggling after everything we have been through, but actually, you were right, it was just her looking to manipulate me again. Honestly, spending that time with her only made me realise how happy I have been with you. You have made me feel alive again in a way I never thought I would.”
