The Sunday League

The ball hit the padel racket with a satisfying thwack, echoing in the enclosed court. Mark breathed in, sweat stinging his eyes, grateful for this one hour when his brain stopped screaming at him.

"You're running on fumes, mate," David said between points, leaning on his racket. "Third time this week you've barely made it to the club."

Mark wiped his forehead with his wristband. "Sarah left. Took the kids to her mother's."

"Shit." David's face fell. "When?"

"Two weeks ago. I've been... I don't know. Existing, I guess."

They stood in silence as another group claimed the next court. Mark watched them—laughing, competitive, alive—while he felt like a zombie moving through someone else's life. The divorce papers sat on his kitchen table, unsigned. He'd signed the separation agreement but couldn't bring himself to finalize it. Some part of him still believed Sarah would walk through the door, say it was all a terrible mistake, that they could figure it out if they just tried harder.

"You need to stop running from it," David said, reading him. "Either fight for it or let it go. This limbo? It's killing you."

Mark laughed, bitter and short. "That's rich, coming from you. Still haven't told Jenny about those gambling debts, have you?"

David's jaw tightened. "Low blow."

"Sorry." Mark sighed. "I'm just... I'm tired, David. I'm tired of running in circles. I play padel, I go to work, I come home to an empty house. Repeat. I thought I'd feel something by now—relief, rage, anything. But I just feel numb."

"Maybe that's normal. Maybe it takes time."

"Or maybe I'm already dead and haven't noticed."

David snorted. "You're not dead. You're just hungover from life."

The match timer beeped. Game over. David won, as usual. As they gathered their gear, Mark's phone buzzed—Sarah. His heart stuttered.

"Answer it," David said quietly.

Mark hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen. For the first time in weeks, something shifted inside him. Not hope exactly. But something like determination. He wasn't ready to give up, and he wasn't ready to let go.

He swiped to answer. "Sarah?"

Behind him, David gave him a thumbs-up and slipped out of the court, leaving Mark alone in the cage-like enclosure, finally willing to face whatever came next.