Page 122 of Best Year Ever
“It’s a miracle that the schedule works out for me to go,” Landon told me yesterday as he made his travel plans.
But the noise during Landon’s arrival is nothing like the electric hum of the crowd now, as I only need to win this game to claim the match and the tournament championship.
Practicing every mental trick in the book, I bring the atmospheric noise down to zero in my head. In my mind, it’s now just me and Hanna, and I’m laser-focused on what’s happening on the court.
No more glances at my people. Just tunnel vision on these white lines, the green ball, and Hanna’s movements.
Six points later, I take the game.I take the game.I can’t even tell you how the points played out, I simply executed what my body and mind had trained for years to do.
I fall down to my knees in shock. I won.I did it, my inner voice screams. I won the U.S. Open.
Hanna climbs over the net, and I stand up. We shake hands, and she even gives me a kiss on both cheeks. I walk over to the umpire and shake her hand as well, numb as I cycle through what just happened.
Walking back to my chair in a haze of shock, I look up at the sky. Unlike my mind, it’s clear, with only a few white puffs floating through.
A pang hits my chest.
Mom, if you’re watching, I wish you were here.
I push a large breath out, completely overwhelmed.
Suddenly a roar of noise floods my ears, andmy senses start taking in the environment again. Glancing around, it’s chaos, in the best possible way. Roughly 24,000 people are screaming, clapping, cheering. Some are calling my name. Little kids are jumping up and down like banshees.
As my heart and head catch up to the win, a smile starts spreading on my face. This is real.
And I want to be with my people. Julie. Dad. Landon. I look up at my box, and Julie is crying with happiness. My dad looks like he is close to it as well. Landon, in turn, has a thousand-watt grin on his face.
There’s no clear path to them from the court, but like many winners before me, I don’t let that stop me from getting to them. I run to the part of the stands where the box sits and start climbing over the barrier protecting the court, standing on a chair to get into the stands. Some of the fans sitting nearby help me get over the ledge and steady.
I run up the stairs to the box, and my whole crew, everyone I love, shouts with glee and embraces me. It’s a big group hug of the ages. They’re all speaking at the same time, saying how proud they are, how much they love me, but I cannot make out the details. All I feel is the warmth of our collective embrace—and our shared joy.
The group hug breaks up, and I know I’ve barely got any time before I need to get back on the court for the award ceremony. I quickly give individual hugs to Julie and then to Dad, who kisses me on the cheek, whispering, “You did it, sweetheart. Your mom would be so proud.”
After that, I lock eyes with Landon. His smile is gone. Instead, with a look I’ve never seen before on his face, he appears overcome with emotion, fighting tears. I step toward him, and he opens his arms to me, giving me the bear hug of my life with his large, strong body.
About a million cameras go off at that moment. I’m pretty sure a drone camera is circling us too. Later I would findout the crowd cheered at our hug, as if they were celebrating us, acknowledging we are a couple.
“I guess we are official now, superstar,” I say with a quiet laugh.
He chuckles softly in turn. He doesn’t let me go, just moves his hands on my back.
“Remember what I said, Rori—some things are worth the wait.”
With one more intense look shared between us as we release our hold, I turn and go down to get my trophy.
U.S. Open Champion.
Epilogue
RORI - NEW YEARS EVE
The champagne is flowing, and the conversation is humming, as Landon and I step into Johnson’s house.
This year’s New Year’s celebration is so different from the last one.
The Orlando Waves have made the playoffs, and their win yesterday almost guarantees a bye in the first round, meaning they skip to the next round. We’re just waiting for the results of the Monday night game tomorrow.
The promise of the playoffs means the mood in the room is celebratory for more than the start of a new year.
