Page 41 of Bad Summer People
“I’msure.It was out,” said Jen defensively. “It’s deuce now.”
Vicky and Janet stood there dumbly, not switching sides. Vicky’s hands were on her hips. Even though she was older, Vicky was tough. Robert had heard she’d grown up on the Jersey Shore and had distant relatives in the Mafia.
“Check the mark, please,” said Vicky flatly.
“It’s their game! The ball was in!” Jerry Braun, Janet’s husband, dressed in a green floral Tommy Bahama shirt, shouted.
Everyone erupted. Men started yelling at each other (“In!” “Out!”),popcorn fell, beer spilled. The players stood frozen on the court, watching the chaos along with Robert, who wasn’t sure what to do.
Someone approached him from behind. “It’s time to intervene!” Susan said into his ear, her breath tickling his neck. She nearly pushed him out of his seat.
“Susan, if they called it out, it’s out. There’s no Hawk-Eye in Salcombe. This is ridiculous.” He looked at Susan pleadingly, but she gave him nothing, just a forceful tug of his short sleeve.
He opened the green gate and stepped out onto the court, walking toward the back where the serve landed. Lauren and Jen jogged over to him as he did.
“Robert, it was out, I’m sure of it,” said Jen softly. He saw the mark, clear as day, right on the back of the white line. Lauren looked down at the clay and then up at Jen. She shrugged.
“Okay, let’s just give it to those bitches,” Lauren said to Jen, patting her on the back.
Jen nodded, embarrassed. Robert walked back out of the gate to his seat and pulled his cap low over his head. Larry waved to him from a neighboring bench, mouthing,Can you believe this shit?
“It was in. I’m sorry about that,” said Jen, loudly enough for everyone to hear.
A cheer went up from the Beth Ledbetter group.
It was now tied 5–5, and the rest of the match was a goner. Vicky and Janet took the set in a tiebreak and then won the second set 6–3. It wasn’t even close. Robert watched through his fingers. After the final point, Vicky and Janet threw their rackets in the air and screeched. The champions had won again. Robert wanted to die; it was all so embarrassing.
The pairs shook hands, everyone exchanging their phony niceties. Lauren and Jen came off the court first, to the hugs of Lisa and Emily. The mystery of Sam’s, Jason’s, and Rachel’s whereabouts still hadn’t been solved.
Robert approached Vicky and Janet to say congratulations. The crowd had thinned by that point, with only family and very close friends still hanging out, talking to the players.
“You did great, ladies. Really well played,” said Robert, flashing his shiniest smile.
“Thanks, Robert,” said Vicky. Her voice was husky, with a sharp New Jersey accent. She had impressively defined musculature; her lats bulged above her neck like small mountains.
“I just couldn’t believe that call, though,” said Janet, the less forceful of the pair.
“I’ve played with Jen before,” said Vicky. “And she cheats. I’ve seen it.”
Robert didn’t doubt it, given what he knew about her personal life. He just wished she hadn’t done it during the finals of the women’s doubles tournament.
“It’s always tough to make a call in the heat of the moment,” said Robert diplomatically. “The important part was that you two didn’t let it throw you. You kept your cool”—here, Robert was lying, as Vicky certainly hadn’t—“and soldiered on, taking the win.”
The women looked pleased with themselves. Robert went off in search of the losers, who were huddled together off to the side. They glanced up as Robert came over, and he got the sense that they didn’t want to speak to him, which was odd. He hesitated, but then felt like it’d be even awkwarder to turn around.
“Great match, guys. You gave it your all,” he said. He tried to catch Lauren’s eye, but she was staring at the bike rack, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
“Thanks,” said Jen after an unusually long pause. “Sorry about that flubbed call. I really thought it was out. Maybe I need to get a new contacts prescription.” She laughed lightly.
“It happens to the best of us,” said Robert. “I’ve definitely done it myself.” Except he hadn’t. At least not knowingly. He didn’t cheat at tennis. He thought about his lesson ledger. Had he put it back in the drawer when he’d left the hut to watch the match?
No one said anything.
“Were your husbands too nervous to attend?” he asked.
Lauren and Jen looked at each other.
“Yes,” Lauren said. “Jason and Sam couldn’t bear it. It was all too much for them.”
