The Unfinished Match

The hat was the first thing she noticed when Amanda walked onto the padel court—wide-brimmed, ridiculous for an indoor sport, but practical for hiding the tears that had become her near-constant companion since the miscarriage.

'You ready?' Elena asked, swinging her racquet with practiced ease.

Sarah forced a smile. 'Always.'

Across the net, David was already pulling out his iPhone between serves, thumbs moving with that familiar, hungerless rhythm that had come to define their marriage. Three years ago, he would have been watching her, maybe teasing her about her backhand. Now he moved through their shared life like a zombie—waking, working, eating, sleeping—his eyes perpetually glazed over by some digital elsewhere.

'Serve!' Elena called.

Sarah hit the ball hard, channeling everything she couldn't say into the swing. David barely looked up from his phone as the ball whizzed past him.

'That's match point,' Elena said softly.

Sarah's friend Maria had texted that morning: *Saw him at the bar Friday. She was with him.* The proof lived in Sarah's pocket, a screenshot she'd stared at until the pixels burned into her retinas. The other woman wore hats too—trendy, expensive ones. The kind of woman who didn't have to hide.

'You okay?' Elena asked, stepping closer as David finally pocketed his phone, frowning at the score.

'Sunday,' Sarah said, surprising herself. 'This Sunday. After brunch.' She lifted her racquet. 'One more game?'