Chapter Text
This was only one of the many reasons she hated her height. Cramped conditions. The backseat of her Uber driver’s car left little room for anyone over 5’5” and she was feeling the squeeze. She let her gaze wander up to the GPS on the driver’s phone and saw they were only a few minutes away from her destination. Thank god! She wiggled around but alas there were few positions where she could be comfortable and not expose herself in her dress. She opted for the middle ground of some comfort and possible, but not guaranteed, exposure.
The car pulled up to the sidewalk and the driver grunted something about having arrived. She managed to unfold herself as gracefully as she could and knew it looked something akin to a baby giraffe being born. She stood for a second to get her bearings then confirmed with her phone she was in the right spot. Too late to turn back now, she thought. Onward she marched through the doors and past students who seemed oblivious to anything beyond the small screen in their hands. Her eyes searched for a sign giving any hints as to which way she should go but it seemed they expected their visitors to know how to maneuver within the labyrinth.
“Excuse me,” she asked the young girl at the front desk. “Could you tell me where the coaches’ offices are located?”
The young woman smiled at her, her eyes bright and curly hair bouncing as she nodded before her response. “Yeah, they’re on the third floor. I can show you if you want.”
“I’m good, thanks.” She smiled back to her and then turned with confidence only to realize she had no clue where the stairs or elevator were located. She turned round sheepishly facing the student.
“Stairs and elevator are the second alcove on your right.”
“Bless you.” And back on her mission, she went. She opted for the elevator with the heels she had on and stepped off moments later. Another desk and young woman awaited her as she emerged onto the much quieter third floor.
“Hi, can I help you?” The young desk worker appeared to be only a few years older than her counterpart downstairs.
“Yes, can you tell me where I can find Coach Lasso?”
The receptionist pursed her lips and studied her computer screen. “It looks like he is just finishing up a meeting. Would you like to wait for him out here?”
“Is there any way I could wait in his office?” She could see the young receptionist begin to recoil in fear and recognized the poor girl probably had very little power. “The thing is, I’m an old friend of Coach Lasso and was hoping to surprise him. I’ll leave the door open so everything is on the up and up. I can even phone him to show you we are indeed friends.”
The young woman shook her head, “That won’t be necessary, Ms. Welton. It took me a moment but I recognize you now from Coach Lasso’s photos. He speaks very highly of you.”
Rebecca smiled at her, “Thank you…”
“Allison.”
“Thank you, Allison. Will it be alright for me to wait in his office?”
Allison bit her lip, “I guess so. His office is the fourth office on your left. The door should be open.”
“You’re an angel! Thank you.” Rebecca retreated down the hallway and found Ted’s office where Allison said it would be. The door was indeed open and she casually walked in.
His office was a decent size with a single desk, couch, two chairs, coffee table, and to Rebecca’s surprise, a private bathroom. Her eyes landed on a collection of framed photos all depicting Ted’s varying coaching posts, including AFC Richmond. She smiled and felt her heartache at the same time. Those were the days.
“Al-is-SON! High five!”
Rebecca lurched as she heard Ted’s unmistakable voice in the hall. Would she hide? Stand in plain sight? She hadn’t thought this far in advance. Her gut decision was to hide in the bathroom and then scare him. What are you, five?
“Something was dropped off for you while you were out, so I put it in your office.” Allison informed him. Rebecca grinned. That sweet girl was too afraid to not tell Ted the truth but also wanted to honor Rebecca’s request of secrecy.
“Oooo, a surprise! Goody! Well, it is a good surprise, right? Did I tell you about the time my friend Tommy hid a skunk in a box and I…”
“It’s a good surprise.” Allison said, cutting him off.
“You promise, Thomas?”
“Promise.”
“Alright! Good surprise. Well, let me just pop in there and see for myself.”
Rebecca heard Ted’s footsteps growing louder and suddenly felt like a kid playing hide and seek with the immediate urge to pee. (An urge she had never understood.) Ted whistled as he entered. She heard him mumbling to himself as he rummaged around the office. She poked her head out of the bathroom enough to see his back was to her. “Hey Al, I don’t see anything. Must be a tiny surprise!”
Rebecca crept silently behind him and boomed in her deepest voice, “I’ve got a bone to pick with you, Coach Lasso!” If Ted could have levitated, he would have. He did a jump turn, and bumped into his desk hard enough to knock him sideways, which sent him over the arm of the leather chair and his iced latte all over the coffee table. “Shit! Fuck! Ted, I’m so sorry!”
Ted was lying in the chair with his legs over one arm and arms sprawled over the other. Like a turtle stuck lying on his shell. “Boss?”
Rebecca wanted to say something, to help him up, but all that came out was a deep guttural laugh. It only took a second for Ted to join her. Somehow, they managed through their laughter to pry him from the chair and tidy up the latte explosion as best as possible. Once the moment had passed, Ted stood looking at her. “What are you doing here, Rebecca? Don’t tell me you flew all this way just to ruin my afternoon coffee.” He asked with a smile.
“No, no, the coffee was just an added bonus.” She smiled and then her face changed. “I flew all this damn way to tell you to stop being a prick and answer your bloody phone.”
Ted looked shocked, “I answer!”
“That’s bull and you know it! Why don’t you pull open your texts and let’s see how many blue bubbles you have to my grey ones.” She crossed her arms waiting. Ted opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. “I’m waiting.”
“I can admit that I haven’t been the most communicative but…”
“But nothing! You might as well have disappeared off the face of the earth and I won’t stand for it! I can accept that you are not coming back to Richmond, but I can’t accept that you won’t be my friend. So you have one of two options: one, you quit being an ass and respond to me every once in a while, or two, you respond to my fucking texts.” She affected the most ladylike demeanor for her next statement, “You choose.”
Ted sighed, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Good.” Rebecca gave him a soft smile, “You’re forgiven. I learned that from someone once.”
Ted smiled. “Come on, bring it in.” He held open his arms for a hug which Rebecca pretended not to want. “Hey, that’s a pretty good hug for someone who claims not to be a hugger.” She pulled back and let him see her roll her eyes in mock annoyance. “Please tell me you didn’t fly all the way to Kansas City to tell me off. I mean, a carrier pigeon would have done the trick.”
“No, my brief guilt trip was only one element to my American tour.” Ted gestured for her to sit in one of the chairs while he sat across from her on the sofa. “You know how Keely was going on and on about Richmond adding a women’s soccer team.” Ted nodded. “Well, I wanted to do my research before I jumped into it and so I have been visiting with American women’s teams and Kansas City just happened to have one… so I thought… two birds, one stone.”
“Ahhh… I see the stone was for me.”
Rebecca laughed and they sat in comfortable silence for a second. “I am sorry about your coffee.”
Ted waved his hand dismissively, “Didn’t need it anyway.”
“Well, why don’t we get you another one and you can catch me up on the comings and goings of your life.” Ted started to argue but Rebecca held up her hand. “My treat.”
Ted smiled then checked his watch. He nodded his consent, “Yeah, let’s do it. I gotta be back here for practice in an hour though.”
“An hour it is. You choose the place.”
Their coffee hour flew by. It was easy, simple, and unlike their last face-to-face conversations, didn’t involve Rebecca crying her eyes out. She could tell Ted was doing well. Maybe he wasn’t the happiest he could be, but who was really? He regaled her with stories of Henry, coaching, and his joy of driving on the right side of the road again. “Shoot, I let my big bazoo go this entire time and I didn’t even get to hear about your life.”
“You know if I wanted to be heard, I would.”
Ted chuckled, “Got that right.” She raised her eyebrow in challenge. “I meant that in the most endearing way… of course.”
“Of course,” Rebecca retorted as she took the final sip of her tea. “What are you doing for dinner?”
“Well, what day is it, Friday? I’m free as a bird. Henry is with Michelle this weekend.”
“Dinner?” She offered.
“Supper?” Ted shouted. Rebecca narrowed her eyes at him. “Sorry, I thought this was a fun word association game.”
“Do you want to do dinner––with me––tonight?” Rebecca asked, emphasizing every syllable.
“Yes, please,” Ted said in the same staccato tone. He wasn’t sure why, but annoying her was one of his favorite pastimes. “Look, why don’t we go to this restaurant called Gram & Dun? It’s nice but not too nice if you know what I mean. I can pick you up from your hotel.” They both stood simultaneously and moved to the bar to drop off their cups.
“Actually, I’ll just meet you there, if that’s alright.”
Ted was a little surprised by the formality of not arriving together but quickly moved past it. “Sounds like a plan, Stan. What time?”
“Well, what time works for you? I’m free the rest of this weekend. I don’t fly home until Sunday evening.”
“Shoot fire, we got a whole weekend to kick about this town. Unless… unless… you had other plans which is totally fine. I mean…”
Rebecca put her hand over his mouth. “I don’t have other plans. I’ll meet you tonight at 7:00. And please for the love of all that is holy stop blathering.” She removed her hand slowly as Ted gave her two thumbs up.