Page 24

Emily and Leah have been driving around for almost an hour. The lawyer drives slowly through all the places Leah can think of, but there's no trace of Aaron. Emily glances at Leah every few minutes. The tennis player's left leg bounces frantically inside the vehicle while she twists the hem of her shorts with her fingers and releases small sighs of anxiety without stopping her search through the window.

The lawyer doesn't know what to do, feels helpless because she can't help her, and when they stop at another traffic light, she stretches out a hand and places it on Leah's trembling knee, making her jump and turn toward her when she feels its warmth.

"He'll show up, Leah. It's just a childish stunt, you'll see," she tries to calm her.

Leah gives her a grateful smile, but her nervousness doesn't cease and the light turns green.

"Why did your relationship with Stella fail?"

Emily knows it's not the best moment to bring up the topic, but it's the only thing she can think of to pull Leah out of that state. The tennis player looks at her again, this time a bit dazed, but stops moving her leg and instead stretches it to make slow movements with her ankle.

"Don't answer if you don't want to, it's just that I think you need a distraction and, since you said you'd tell me another time..." Emily says. "Sometimes I have the gift of bad timing."

"Don't worry," Leah says after a couple of seconds. "This moment is as good as any. Many things went wrong in my relationship with Stella from the beginning, and I've always been aware of it. Turn there," she asks the lawyer.

"Like what?" Emily asks while continuing to drive slowly.

"For starters, the age difference. She's ten years younger than me, and in other circumstances, that difference might not matter, but in ours it does. Stella is motivated by sports, her life right now revolves around tennis, competing," she clarifies, "that's her priority and she'll put everything else second to that. And I know because I used to do the same."

"And for you, priorities are different now that you're retired, I guess," Emily deduces.

"Yes. I'm focused on the club and living a quieter life, far away from all that chaos. When we started dating, we were very aware that we'd barely have time to see each other. We were here in Charleston, though she was often traveling wherever tournaments took her, but it seemed fine to us."

Leah explains all these thoughts she's had for a long time, that she's in the relationship for convenience, for the tranquility of having her own space and someone to hang out with and share good experiences when they're together, and that it seemed enough because she wasn't looking for more.

"Now I'm very aware that my mothers were right and I should have ended the relationship a long time ago. Beyond some daily phone conversation, all I had with Stella was sex when we saw each other. Except for tennis, she and I have nothing in common, but, like I said, it was convenient because, on one hand, I feel like I'm not completely alone and, on the other, I have all my space. It's a strange thing," she smiles and points with her finger for Emily to turn down another street.

"I think I understand," the lawyer says. "Do you think she'll take the breakup well?"

Leah takes a deep breath through her nose and releases it slowly.

"I don't think she'll make a scene. She's young, but Stella is mature and not in love with me, we both know that. She fell in love with my name, with who I was, and I fell for her youth and the freedom the relationship gave me, which later became long-distance. I'm not saying there aren't feelings involved, I've spent a lot of time with her and I care for her, and I know she cares for me too, but she'll accept it. We've both always known this had an expiration date."

Leah's phone lights up interrupting the conversation, and the tennis player answers immediately when she sees Anne's name on the screen.

"Yes, mom."

"Aaron is here, with me," her mother says, and Leah feels the tension in her muscles instantly relax.

"Is he okay?" she asks anxiously.

"Yes, he's perfectly fine, don't worry."

"Where are you?" she asks, somewhat disoriented, not exactly remembering where Anne is staying.

"At your house, he came here. I haven't called Mia yet, he's very nervous and I don't want him talking to her in this state," she says, distressed.

"Don't call her, Emily and I will be there in ten minutes."

Leah walks through her front door in less time than she said. When she does, Aaron, who was sitting on her couch next to her mother, jumps up and hugs her so tightly that Leah finds it hard to breathe.

"I don't want to go to another house, I want to stay here," he says between sobs, and Leah's eyes flood while she hugs him.

She looks at her mother desperately, but Anne is also crying without knowing how to console him. Leah decides again not to call Mia. If she hears her brother in this state, she'll completely fall apart. She needs him to calm down so she can tell her that he's safe.

"We're trying to arrange for you to stay with Mia, Aaron," she says without letting go.

"She tried that the other time too and I'm still with the Morrises," he says between hiccups.

"I know, but this time it's different, we have different lawyers and more time has passed..." Leah says, desperate. "Let's sit down, Aaron. You need to calm down so I can call Mia and tell her you're okay, please. She's very distressed."

Leah guides him, keeping him close to her body, and manages to get him to sit on the couch, between her and her mother. It's then that Leah looks for Emily and the lawyer winks at her with complicity before approaching Aaron and crouching in front of him.

"Aaron, my name is Emily and I'm one of the lawyers who will be handling your case," she introduces herself with a kind smile and a voice so warm that Aaron stops sobbing. "I promise we'll do everything in our power to ensure you don't have to go to another foster home, but doing things like this doesn't help us. You can't run away from home. If the judge finds out, she might interpret it as an act of rebellion, consider you a troubled boy, and conclude that you can't stay with your sister because she also had her problems in the past. Do you understand that?"

Aaron looks at Leah and the tennis player takes his hand.

"Yes, I understand."

"Great. I understand you're nervous, but now more than ever you need to behave in an exemplary manner and not do anything that draws attention. Leah would be delighted if you stayed here tonight, but you must return to the foster home, Aaron. You need to keep trusting your sister, you know she'll do everything possible for you to be with her," Emily says.

Leah stands up when she sees he's calm and has come to his senses.

"I'm going to call your sister to tell her you're here, and then Emily and I will take you to the Morrises' house. Okay?" she asks and ruffles his hair.

"Yes, okay," Aaron accepts, calmer.

"I'll call Elena Morris to let her know too," Anne says, "they're very worried."

"I'm coming right now," Mia says with a rushed voice as soon as Leah tells her that her brother is with her.

"No, Mia. You're too upset and it took us a long time to calm him down. He'll get nervous again when he sees you. It's better if we take him to the Morrises and resolve this before social services finds out," the tennis player says.

"Damn, Leah," Mia mutters.

"I promise you he's fine, Mia, really. He's talking with Emily now and he's calm, she's made him see reason and I'm sure he won't try to run away again. Go see him tomorrow at the Morrises' and spend some time with him, I don't think Elena will object."

Leah hears the voice of who she assumes is Emma Harris advising Mia to listen to her, that it's best for Aaron and for the case.

"Alright, make sure he gets into the Morrises' house, please," Mia begs.

"Don't worry, I won't leave until he does. I'll let you know when I've dropped him off."

"Thanks, Leah."

Almost an hour later, after leaving Aaron at the Morrises' house, Emily arrives at the entrance of the tennis club—now closed—so Leah can pick up her car. She stops at the gate and Leah turns to her before getting out of the car.

"Thank you for everything, Emily," she says and doesn't hesitate to take her hand.

She does it as a thank you, but immediately, their fingers intertwine without either of them being able to help it.

"You don't have to thank me," the lawyer says.

"Of course I do. You don't know what it would have been like for me to wander around alone looking for Aaron without going crazy. You helped me stay focused and then you were so good with him."

"I'm his lawyer, it's my duty," Emily smiles and they both know that tonight she's been much more than a lawyer, at least for Leah.

"In any case, thank you."

Leah leans in and gives her a kiss on the cheek that makes Emily's whole face burn and squeeze Leah's hand tightly. They look into each other's eyes intensely and the air becomes so dense that the tennis player feels she can't breathe.

"God, this is so hard," Leah smiles, releasing her hand to move away and open the door.

Emily gives her a smile and, as a goodbye, blows a kiss in the air that makes Leah's heart skip a beat.