Page 22 of Summer Breakdown
Marcel groans the well-known noise of an older brother who is going to do whatever his sister asks for. “But Azan is here somewhere.”
“Is Azan your favourite player?” Frankie asks, as she stands, and Marcel looks at her. His eyes widen like he hadno idea she was here at all. Frankie raises her eyebrows back at his expression.
“You’re Frankie Adebayo.”
She laughs. “I am.”
His eyes stay wide. “Ma, Frankie is the first ever Black female coach. Ever. In the history of English rugby. She started the Titans.”
“Is that right?” Jasmine asks with a smile, though she doesn’t look back at Frankie. “That’s cool.”
“So cool,” he replies, like Frankie can’t hear him. Teenagers who can’t hide their excitement are her favourite type. “And she used to be captain of the Weavers. She’s my favourite player.”
Jasmine raises one eyebrow, and it’s embarrassing how badly Frankie wants Jasmine to be impressed by her. “I thought I was your favourite player?”
Frankie’s eyebrows hit her non-existent hairline. She might pass out if Jasmine plays too.
Marcel laughs. “You only played on Sundays, and you refused to let me watch.”
“You didn’t like blood,” she replies. Frankie takes a deep breath. Jasmine might be her dream woman, which she realises is insane because she knows, like, three things about her. It doesn’t make it any less true.
“Who did you play for?” Frankie asks.
Jasmine swallows. “It was just a village team. Taunton Ladies.”
Frankie doesn’t recognise the name, but she’ll look them up later in the hopes of seeing Jasmine in rugby shorts.
“What position?” Frankie asks.
“Left wing,” she replies, and Marcel nods. God, she’s so hot. Frankie thinks she’s only being polite because her kids are around. Doesn’t mean Frankie won’t take advantage of it.
“Do you still play?”
Jasmine clenches herjaw. “Not recently.”
“Ma, you should play. You could totally take down Frankie!” Marcel says.
Oh, how Frankie would let her take her down. Jasmine all but did the night of the quiz. Frankie wants to be back there. She wants to make better decisions, even if she knows she wouldn’t be able to in the moment. God, she should have texted Jasmine. If she showed her the drafts she wanted to send but never did, would that be enough?
Jasmine glares at Marcel. “I thought you loved me?”
“I love you, Mama,” Kehlani replies. The entire family is cute, and Frankie wants to be invited around for dinner. Jasmine winks at Lani, and it’s embarrassing how jealous of a child Frankie is.
“You used to do the one-two!” Marcel replies, with a slight movement. “You could take Adebayo down.”
“Have you seen her arms?” Jasmine asks, and Frankie sighs. Jasmine liked the way she looked for real. “This is the second womb-mate betrayal of the day.”
Frankie smiles as Marcel cackles. “Womb-mate?” Frankie interjects.
“Yeah,” Jasmine says with a smile. A smile that drops off her face when she turns to look at her again. “Like a roommate, but from my womb.”
Womb-mate is hilarious, and she’s going to steal it, even though she has no children and isn’t a twin. She’ll use it on Ezra when he’s winding her up.
“Okay, okay,” Marcel says, with a laugh. “You’re still my favourite. Frankie is cool, though.”
“You can practice with me anytime,” Frankie says. “I haven’t played in a while.”
Jasmine smiles, but it’s not at her. It’s quiet for a moment. Frankie should leave, but she doesn’t want to. She wonders why they’re here. Frankie didn’t see them at the last open day.
