Page 74 of Best Year Ever
After talking to Landon on the phone and Julie on the flight home, everything hurts a little less. By the time our plane lands in Florida, I’m able to celebrate internally all that I accomplished as opposed to only feeling the loss.
The only lingering frustration is my terrible mental focus during the match.
My gut still burns when I let myself think about how checked out I was. In the Wimbledon final?What the hell, Rori.
As I told Landon, I won’t let it happen again. Period.
One of my first errands this morning is to get a new phone and number. I put the burner in the trash, ready to let go of the last few days.
Once I secure the new phone, I text my team, Dad, Landon, and a few friends the info. Landon gets saved in my new phone again as “NEW YEARS,” so there’s no risk his identity will be exposed to anyone being nosy.
Ten minutes later, my phone buzzes, and I pick up a call from Julie.
“The new rankings are out. Laurine and Iva’s losses really pulled them down because they had so many points from last year. Do you want to hear?”
Like she is going to give me a choice.
“YOU’RE NUMBER FIVE! Number five in the world!”
I wish I could say I had a more dignified response, but I let out a shriek.
“OMG OMG JULIE,” I say in response.
“I know Rori, this is so amazing. You earned this though, you earned this.”
Julie lets me have a moment to digest the news but stays on the line. I breathe through my excitement and let myself process. And then she speaks up again through the phone.
“You know what this means, right?” she asks me.
“What?”
“You need a new goal. You made the Top 5.”
“That’s an easy one,” I say to her.
“I want to win the U.S. Open.”
After I get off the phone with Julie, I text Landon right away.
RORI: Guess what?
RORI: I hit number 5!
Within about thirty seconds, his response comes through.
NEW YEARS: Hell yes!!
NEW YEARS: Top 5 on the planet. Insane.
NEW YEARS: Can you come up here tonight? We’ll celebrate.
RORI: With whipped cream?
NEW YEARS: Woman. Now you gotta come….
NEW YEARS: Actually, I can say with confidence that you will come.
Needless to say, I agree to drive to Orlando.
