Katrina’s cheek twitched. Ada tried to imagine the past year of this poor woman’s life—losing the love of her life, discovering the truth of her husband’s affair, and trying to grapple with who she was in the wake of all of that. It was a lot to bring into a brand-new relationship.
“All relationships are messy,” Ada said when Katrina didn’t say anything else. “But there’s no reason you can’t find lasting, joyful, and meaningful happiness with the new man in your life. Let’s find a way to work through the complexities of what you’re feeling.”
Katrina’s eyes brightened. “Please. I want to get rid of all this pain. I’m so ready.”
Ada cleared her throat, marveling at Katrina’s urgency. “Okay. So. You met someone new.” She smiled. “Why don’t you tell me how you met?”
“It’s a fantastic story,” Katrina said. “It sounds like something out of a romcom. I still can’t believe it’s my life.”
With Natalie’s help and organization, Ada was able to leave the office at six p.m. sharp. There was a chill to the air and a churning to the clouds above that hinted at a storm. Buttoning her raincoat to her chin, she took off for her car and drove the ten minutes to Nantucket High School, where Hannah was warming up for her six thirty match against another girl from Martha’s Vineyard. For a moment, standing in the door of her car, Ada watched as Hannah whipped back and forth on the court, whacking the ball with her racket, looking as graceful as a gazelle. Ada’s heart swelled with love for her daughter.
“Mom!”
Ada spun around just as her two younger children, Olivia and Kade, ambled toward her, carrying bags of sandwiches and chips. Behind them was her husband, Peter, wearing the coat Ada had gotten him for Christmas. Ada locked the car door and hurried to hug her children and kiss her husband.
“Just in time,” Peter said, wrapping his arm around her as they walked toward the stands. “I heard from one of my patients today that Hannah’s girl is a beast. She’s going to Columbia to play tennis next year.”
Ada winced. “Uh-oh,” she said under her breath. And now, she noticed how dominant Hannah’s opponent was, striking the ball with such force that Hannah struggled to return it—even now, in warm-ups. The game would be tough.
Peter, Ada, Olivia, and Kade sat on the bleachers, removing their sandwiches and huddling together for warmth. It was still light outside, but it would soon be dark. Ada waved at a few other tennis mothers, many of whom were feeding their own children dinner. Kade and Olivia ate quickly and scampered off to hang with other tennis siblings, uninterested in the sport.
It was time for Hannah to play.
“Here we go, Hannah!” Peter cried, cupping his mouth.
Ada squeezed Peter’s knee. “I’m so nervous,” she whispered.
“She’s got this,” Peter said.
Hannah and the girl from Martha’s Vineyard shook hands and separated. Hannah was serving first, a beautiful thing. In the first point, she served so hard that the other girl hardly flinched. Ada and Peter roared with happiness. “All right, Hannah! Keep it up!” Ada cried.
After that, Hannah and the girl fell into a sort of pattern. Hannah won her serves, and the girl won her own. It left Peter and Ada nervous but hopeful, muttering to one another under their breath as they watched.
“How’s your day going so far?”
Peter was an orthodontist and had had a fairly typical day: putting on braces, checking alignment, and dealing with angry parents. He was often bored with his career and spoke openly about making just enough money and retiring when he could.
“Pretty good. And how about yours?” Peter asked.
“Typical day,” Ada admitted, remembering Katrina and her other patients, people who’d come to her office emotionally bruised, hopeful for remedies. Even now, sitting at the match, she could see several of her patients, other children’s parents and friends of their families, people who’d come to her for specific reasons and either graduated or remained. She knew many of their secrets, having learned about their private anguishes, anger, fears, and hopes. She would never tell anyone what they’d told her in confidence. But it was bizarre, being the keeper of secrets on the island. Sometimes it felt overwhelming.
Ada went on, changing the subject. “Today, I couldn’t stop thinking about Hannah’s match. She gets so upset when she loses.”
“She’s got to learn how to deal with it, I guess,” Peter said.
Ada took a breath, remembering her own losses in life and how difficult it had been to carry them. There had been old boyfriends, her old career, her old hopes. Now, as a forty-three-year-old mother and therapist, she was pleased as punch about how it had all worked out. But it had felt precarious many times. She wished Hannah didn’t have to go through that, but she knew it was a part of life. Soon, Hannah would be off to college.
Hannah’s opponent won the first set, and Hannah threw her racket on the ground.
Ada and Peter were on their feet. Ada’s heart pounded with fear and anger. “Come on, Hannah,” she said, clapping. She didn’t want Hannah to suffer a penalty for anger issues, and she certainly didn’t want Hannah to break her racket. Those things were expensive.
Hannah sat down, drank some water, and tied her hair into an even tighter ponytail. The Martha’s Vineyard girl looked incredibly pleased with herself and even ate half of a banana, as though she were enjoying her break. Ada had a sense that Hannah wouldn’t let her get away with that.
Ada was right.
Over the span of the next hour and forty-five minutes, Hannah did everything in her power to destroy the Martha’s Vineyard girl’s game. The girl was all over the court, bouncing from right to left and back again, while Hannah kept herself calm and confident, mainly staying in the middle of the court. Hannah won the second set 6–3 and the third set 6–2. The other girl was exhausted and looked in shock, like she couldn’t believe she was letting Hannah win. At the end of the game, when Hannah and the girl shook hands and walked off, Ada, Peter, Kade, and Olivia were on their feet, clapping wildly, waiting for their girl. When Hannah reached them, Ada threw her arms around her. “You did it. I knew you could,” she said.
Hannah grimaced. “I really messed up that first set.”
