Page 133 of Balancing Act

Jamie nodded, her throat tight. “Yeah.”

A nurse stepped into the doorway with a clipboard.

“Jamie Lyons?”

She sucked her breath, trying to access her own courage as Beth rubbed her arm reassuringly

“You’ve got this,” she said softly, pressing her lips to Jamie’s cheek.

Jamie clenched her jaw, nodded, and stood.

This time, she didn’t do it alone.

Beth was right beside her.

The drive home from the hospital was quiet, the morning’s heaviness still lingering between them. Jamie’s fingers drummed against her thigh, her mind running in circles—reliving the sterile waiting room, the steady pressure of Beth’s hand in hers, the relief and fear tangled so tightly she couldn’t tell them apart. But she had done it. She’d faced it. And now, as Beth pulled into the driveway, she knew there was still one more thing she needed to face. So, instead of following Beth inside, she pulled out her phone and scrolled to Shannon’s name. She hesitated for a second, before hitting call.

They agreed to meet after Shannon’s practice, so the following evening, Jamie found herself pulling up to an unfamiliar field.

“Who am I meeting again?” Lily asked.

“Her name is Wren. She just got signed to the Puget Sound Pride. Shannon thinks you two might have a few things in common.”

“Is it because we’re both young? Because that doesn’t immediately mean we have things in common,” Lily grumbled.

“I think it’s more that both of you are very talented athletes who just happen to be young. Haven’t you been saying for months you want more friends?”

“Yeah, gymnastics friends. You know, who I can, like, train with.” Lily rolled her eyes as they climbed out of the car.

“Beggars can’t be choosers, kid.”

That comment earned Jamie a glare eerily reminiscent of one she’d caught coming from Sarah a time or two.

“Shannon said Wren can be a little shy, so be nice, okay? You know—your usual delightful self.”

“I’m always nice,” Lily quipped, as they approached the field.

The evening air smelled like damp grass, and the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows as the mountains in the background left their silhouettes on the turf. The players were finishing up their practice. Laughter and shouted instructions echoed across the field, followed by the rhythmic thunk of cleats against soccer balls.

Jamie looked out across the field and spotted Shannon immediately. She was mid-sprint, cutting past a defender before sending a perfect pass downfield. Jamie waved briefly as Shannon jogged over to them.

“Hey!” she said, slightly out of breath. “I appreciate you coming all the way out here.”

“No problem.”

“You must be Lily.” Shannon turned to Lily. “I’m so excited to meet you finally.”

Lily straightened her shoulders and held her hand out to Shannon. “I’m equally excited to meet you! I’ve followed yousince you played for the Philadelphia Freedom. My mom and I are huge soccer fans,” Lily explained.

“Is that Wren?” Jamie asked, nodding in the direction of a tall teen on the field.

The girl was all limbs, standing near the goalpost with her hands stuffed deep into the pockets of her hoodie and rocking slightly on her heels like she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. Dark curls were pulled into a messy bun, a few loose strands sticking out in odd directions. Shannon called her over, and when she noticed Jamie and Lily, she straightened, then immediately ducked her head like she was trying to make herself smaller.

“Wren, this is Lily,” Shannon said, motioning between them. “Lily, meet Wren.”

Wren hesitated for an awkwardly long beat before yanking one of her hands out of her pocket and thrusting it forward a little too fast, like she had to remind herself how introductions worked. “Hi,” she said, her voice a touch too loud. Then, realizing it, she cleared her throat and tried again, this time quieter. “Hi. Uh, I think what you do is really cool. Gymnastics, I mean. I always wanted to do it, but, uh...” She gestured at her lanky frame, and her elbow almost smacked Shannon in the ribs “. . . turns out I’m not exactly built for it.”

Lily, who barely came up to Wren’s shoulder, blinked at her, deadpan. “Clearly, that’s not a problem I have.”