The Wednesday Padel Court
Elena's palm trembled against the locker's cold metal door. Wednesday. Three years ago today, Marcus had told her he was leaving the partnership — leaving her — for that junior associate from Chicago. Now here she was, at the company retreat, pretending that padel was a real sport anyone actually played.
The ball flew past her, bouncing off the back wall with a hollow echo. Her doubles partner, David from accounting, adjusted his hat — a ridiculous bucket thing that made him look like a suburban dad at a beach resort — and gave her an encouraging nod.
'You've got this, El,' he said, as if corporate sabotage was something you could overcome with athletic determination.
She gripped the racquet tighter. Her palm was sweating. Across the net, Marcus was laughing at something Sarah — yes, that Sarah — had whispered. His teeth were too white. His form was impeccable. The baseball scholarship that had paid for his MBA still showed in the way he moved, athletic and predatory.
They were supposed to be discussing the merger. That's what this retreat was about. Instead, Elena was watching her ex-husband celebrate his third anniversary with the woman he'd left her for, while David from accounting missed every shot and apologized profusely.
The ball came toward her. For a moment, time suspended.
She remembered Marcus's palm against hers on their wedding day. The way he'd held her hand during her mother's funeral. The baseball games they'd attended, pretending to care about statistics because it made him happy.
Elena swung.
The ball hit the corner perfectly. Marcus couldn't reach it.
'Point,' she said, surprised by the steadiness of her voice.
David whooped. Sarah looked annoyed. Marcus met her eyes across the net, and for the first time in three years, Elena didn't feel like the victim anymore. She felt like someone who could finally walk away.
'Good game,' Marcus said, but it sounded like a question.
Elena adjusted her grip on the racquet. Her palm was steady now.
'It really is,' she said, and meant it.