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“Your dad didn’t tell you?” she asked, looking over the little girl’s head at where her oppa was standing at the door.

“Obviously, Dad wanted it to be a surprise.”

“More like, obviously Dad forgot,” Yao mumbled good-naturedly before stepping around where her sister-in-law and daughter were still hugging to plant a kiss on her husband’s mouth.

“Dad’s got a lot on his mind,” Will grumbled. “Your mom sent us home with some beef noodle soup, though.”

Amelia snickered. “Ah Gong tried to tell Ah Mah that she was doing it wrong, and she hit him with the spoon.”

Yao’s eyes closed briefly as she shook her head. Her parents were notorious characters, but in a good way. It was a wonder that someone as generally quiet as Yao had been raised by two people who considered bickering to be a love language.

“You two sit here. We’ll get this ready,” Will said.

He and Amelia went about setting the table and reheating the soup while Franny and Yao waited with hungry bellies. Franny’s let out a little growl, and she gave them a sheepish smile.

“You must have been doing something today to be that hungry. What are you keeping busy with this summer?” Will asked.

“Well,” she said, before hesitating. “I guess I’m kinda stepping my toe back into coaching.”

Will turned from the stove to flash her an impressed look, one that had his mouth turned down and smushed at the same time. “They have an AAU team down there?”

“No.” Franny pulled Amelia in for a little kiss on the cheek as the girl set a glass down next to her empty bowl. “The high school team in Greenbelt, actually.”

“That’s surprising,” Yao said.

Franny nodded in agreement. “They already have a woman coach on the team too. Isn’t that wild?”

“It is,” her brother said. “I was nervous about you living down there all alone, but you’ve surprised me with a lot of the things you’ve told me about it.”

“I mean, you know, it’s still a small town in South Carolina. I’m not saying it’s all great or that everybody is perfectly understanding,” Franny said with a shrug. “But it’s a lot better than I expected. A lot of queer people willingly decide to live there despite there being other options, so that means something.”

Will approached the dining table with a steaming pot and a ladle, then served everyone a healthy portion of food. Only when all their bowls were filled did everyone pick up their chopsticks and dig in.

“You already got the position?” Yao asked her.

“Not yet, but I’m close.” Was it a lie if it was a gut feeling? “I won’t find out until the school year starts, but I’ve been invited to help with summer practices.”

“For free?” Will raised an eyebrow.

Franny didn’t even bother hiding her eye roll, which made Amelia giggle. “It’s a public high school football team, Oppa. Not the NCAA Southeastern Conference. Even once I get the position, it’ll only pay a small stipend every year.”

“It’s not about the money.” Yao winked at her. “It’s about… um…”

“Throwing!” Amelia interjected happily.

“Yes.” Yao pointed across the table at her daughter. “It’s about throwing and friendship and teamwork and Gatorade.”

Franny’s snort would have earned her a withering look had she done it at her mother’s table. “Especially the Gatorade. I may not have any money, but I’m practically drowning in Gatorade.”

“Maybe you can make friends with the other woman coach,” Yaooffered. “I imagine she’ll be happy to have you join the team. It must be really lonely for her out there.”

Her first instinct was to screw her face up. Jade Dunn had made it perfectly clear that she did not want her around. Franny could tell she was serious, just like she was certain that Dunn’s disdain for her had nothing to do with her being a woman and everything to do with her being a threat. She figured that if Dunn got her way, she’d be the only coach on that field anyway. Still, Yao was probably right about something. It must have been lonely. It would be even lonelier at the top.

Which meant that it was for the better that by hook or by crook, Franny was going to be right there with her. She was going to stick to Dunn’s side like cold grits. She hoped that by doing that, she’d prove to the other woman that she was there to stay. It didn’t matter whether Dunn kicked and screamed and scratched the entire time. Franny wasn’t going to move an inch. She’d offer her help, her support, show Landry that she was formidable. Crucial. Necessary, even.

And maybe show Dunn that it didn’t have to be so lonely at the top, if only she’d just move over an inch or two.

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