Page 38 of Putting Out
10
“Okay. I’m out.” Erica bounced down the stairs with an overnight bag over her shoulder and a matching purse on her wrist.
It was Wednesday morning and the phone hadn’t stopped ringing since Reilly’s announcement the previous afternoon. Again, they were forced to disconnect the phone much to Grams’ dismay, but the other alternative was to listen to the constant ringing.
If Reilly thought the press conference would be a great way to get everyone off her back, she was mistaken. Or maybe it was her decision causing the uproar now. There were even more reporters camped outside her house. Forget sportswriters and golf journalists, she was dealing with national magazines, news agencies, and tabloids.
Through Gus she had already received offers from every major network for an interview. Rachel Maddow, Laura Ingram. They all wanted to talk to her.
Not twenty-four hours had passed and already it was overwhelming. Like being thrown into the middle of a tornado. Everything was whirling around her. The noise and the pressure were so intense she wondered if she might not be ripped apart.
This was day two.
It was enough to make a person reconsider. Not that she could. Not that she would. She was locked into her decision and the reasons for it. She could have used every ounce of support available. Instead, Luke was upstairs packing and Erica was ready to leave.
Reilly noted the matching overnight bag and purse, and smiled. She didn’t recognize the name brand, but knowing Erica, it was expensive. Erica didn’t do anything that wasn’t expensive. Since her performance on the tour was spotty, it was lucky she had wealthy parents to fall back on. A fact Erica took no shame in admitting.
Reilly thought again about the possible relationship between Erica and her brother. She tried to imagine a scene in which Erica was explaining the necessity of owning a five-hundred- dollar wallet because it went with her two-thousand-dollar purse. She didn’t see Kenny as being that understanding. It wasn’t her problem. Considering the sudden riff that developed between them last night over her decision to compete, Reilly feared it might not be anyone’s problem.
“I’m sorry you have to go,” Reilly told her as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
“San Diego awaits. Some of us have a tour to return to,” she returned.
Reilly felt the cut and considered ignoring it, but Erica was her friend. She didn’t want to lose her.
“Look, Erica, I know you didn’t approve of my decision…”
“Didn’t?Don’t. I don’t approve. I understand why you’re doing it. I understand why a lot of people are happy for you. But for me it’s like you turned your back on the LPGA. On me. Like somehow we’re not good enough for you anymore.”
“That’s not the case,” Reilly insisted. “This is a one-time thing.”
“If you say so. Listen, I’m being straight with how I feel. I’m not expecting you to change your mind. I’m not even expecting you to agree. You were never going to make everyone happy, no matter what you did. You need to understand I can’t be your cheerleader on this one.”
She hadn’t made everyone happy. Reilly thought back to some of the men in the crowd. It seemed inconceivable such chauvinism was still alive and well in the world today, but it was there on their faces. In the tone of the reporter who had asked her the first question. They didn’t think she belonged. If pressed, they probably didn’t believe any professional sports should be played by women.
“I get it. So long as it doesn’t get between us permanently.”
“I’m going to try to not let that happen. It is just golf, after all.”
“And Kenny, too. You two fighting over me is worse than ridiculous.”
Her smile fell a bit. “Kenny believes in you. A lot. I don’t think I understood how much until this happened. He’s going to have a harder time with me not being a cheerleader than you are. But I can’t help that. I’ve got to stand by what I believe. If he’s too pigheaded to accept it, then it’s his problem.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
She flashed her professionally whitened teeth. “Really? You’ll talk to him? Will you ask him if he likes me? I mean really, really likes me?”
“I’ll pass the note in study hall.”
Erica chucked he r on the shoulder. “Later, bitch.”
“Later,” Reilly answered. She watched her friend leave and wondered if things would be different the next time she saw her.
“Is she gone?”
Reilly spun around to see Kenny coming out of the kitchen. “Please tell me you didn’t hide in there waiting for her to leave?”
“I said goodbye upstairs. That turned into a fight. I figure things were better off this way.”
