Page 18 of Serve
The doorbell rang. Dixie started to get up, then sat back down when she heard Chip’s footsteps racing for the door.
“You expecting anyone, Tyler?” She asked. He shook his head. Sania glanced in Dixie’s direction and winked. A moment later Chip poked his head in the office and spoke.
“There’s a couple of ladies at the front door, named Emm and Tina. They said you were expecting them?”
Chapter Ten
Chip
“One set, that’s it. If she can take one set off me, she’s hired.” Tyler said. Chip rubbed Tyler’s shoulders, not knowing what was going on, but hated seeing him so worked up. Tyler was changing into workout gear in his bedroom.
“Well, they seem nice. I recognize one of them. Do they know my aunt?” He asked.
“I don’t know. I know nothing about any of this. In fact, I didn’t even know they were coming over today. I feel like they’re ganging up on me to tell you the truth.” Tyler glanced up at him, then placed his hand on Chip’s and squeezed it.
“Thanks for being here. I know Dixie and Sania want what’s best for me, but sometimes they treat me like a kid. Part of their job is to protect me, to filter stuff down, so I only deal with the most important issues. They forget I’m an adult, that I make my own decisions.” He stood and stared at Chip, then pulled him into his arms.
“I’ve got your back.” Chip said. Tyler pecked him on the cheek and left the bedroom.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and wondered for the first time if he could handle this. He’d been alone for so long, and now he was enmeshed in the life of a very busy sports star. He fell back on the bed and closed his eyes.
“You’ve got this.” He whispered to the air.
“What just happened?” Chip asked. He was sitting with Aunt Dixie, Tina, and Sania by the tennis court. A tight match between Tyler and Emm was in progress.
“Tyler scored a point. Boy, if you’re going to go out with Tyler, you’d better learn this shit quick.” Dixie punched him on the knee. Sania leaned over and whispered in her ear. The two of them stood and walked back toward the house.
Tina smiled at him, then scooted over to talk. “How long have you two been an item?” She asked. Tina was in her early thirties, very fit, with lots of blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“How did you know? I guess it doesn’t matter. Not very long, though it feels like I’ve known him forever.” He said. She smiled, and he realized she was in the same boat he was. She was married to Emm, a famous athlete, and knew what that entailed.
“Well, in a way you’re lucky. He’s on the tail end of his career, so you won’t have to travel as much.” She said, then turned her attention back to the tennis match.
“Well, I have a job, so I don’t think I’ll be able to do much traveling. I’d love to see the world, though. Paris, London, all those neat places.” He said. Tina gave him a strange look and burst out laughing.
Emm was about to serve, and gave her a pissy look for her outburst. Once the game restarted, Tina leaned over, and whispered, “Trust me, it’s not fun. All you learn about is how crappy the area around Wimbledon is, and that Parisienne food is overrated. I thought the same thing once, how glamorous it would be to fly around the world, but it’s not. Make sure you love him, otherwise you’re in for a lot of crappy food, and pretending to be a member of his team.”
“What do you mean? Pretending to be a member of his team?”
“I don’t mean this to sound cruel, but you need to know the facts. He’s not out, so whenever he gets asked about you, he’ll pretend you work for him, or you’re just a friend. He has to. The other players will eat him alive if they find out he’s gay. Sucks for you guys.” She shook her head, then turned her attention back to the match.
Chip watched Tyler and Emm pound the ball back and forth. It amazed him how fast they were. The few matches on television he’d seen were nothing like this. He glanced at Tina, who was looking at him with a concerned expression. She leaned over and whispered to him.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why? What are you sorry for?” He asked.
“I barely know you and I’m scaring you off. Look, Emm and I are out, and everyone knows about us, but it’s different for women on the tour. If you’re a lesbian, it’s cool. But for the men it’s different. Toxic masculinity is why men stay in the closet. They’re taught no one will respect them, unless they are this super-stud on the field and with women. There’s never been an openly gay male tennis star.” She said.
“Why? I don’t get it. Why are the women treated differently than the men?”
“I don’t know. I’ve seen both sides of the closet. When I first met Emm, she wasn’t out. The first year we dated, I spent a lot of time hiding in motel rooms. When people asked me who I was, I claimed to be a trainer. Most people knew the deal, but it was hard lying all the time. Finally, I said enough was enough. I couldn’t do it anymore.” She sighed and patted me on the shoulder. “Emm was at the end of her professional career, and we knew it would not hurt her much. We got married right after they made it legal, held a press conference, and that was that. It’s different for the guys though. I don’t think the press will have a problem, I think it will be other players. But, I think once a male player comes out, it won’t be such a big deal any more. Somebody’s got to step up to the plate though, and it’s not something most players are volunteering for.”
“Damn it!” Tyler yelled from the court.
Chip and Tina turned their attention back to the match. Emm had a smile on her face, while Tyler rubbed his chest, grimacing in pain. Emm was buff. She had broad shoulders, and little body fat. She looked formidable, her arms rippling with muscle. Chip asked him earlier whether or not it was a smart idea to play a match while he was still injured. He’d said it would be no big deal, that he doubted Emm could push him around the court. Looked like he’d underestimated her.
“Are you okay, dude? We don’t have to finish if you’re injured.” Emm called out to Tyler. He smiled at her, his ribs obviously still hurting.
