Athena's Story Ch 12

Athena’s subconscious whispers to her, but that doesn’t mean anything. Her subconscious does that constantly, and sometimes it’s rational and good, and sometimes it’s irrational and annoying. It’s really hard to tell the difference. This is why Athena is in therapy. She wishes that she could talk to Piper right now.

She calls Sal and listens to the rings go, heart sinking. The voicemail message starts, and it’s very professional. Sal has a work phone and a personal phone, but both numbers are professional because she has done what Athena once did and gone beyond the scope of her assigned duties. Sal’s supervisor knows that if she can’t reach Sal’s work phone, she can call her personal. And Sal is ready for it.

Sal made changes to her approach to her work based on Athena’s advice. Is it ironic if that advice is propelling her to great heights? Athena wasn’t laid off because she’s bad at her job, or at ladder-climbing in general. It’s just that technology made two-thirds of her role obsolete overnight.

It’s not working. This is what Piper has taught her to do: adjust her self-talk. This would be great if her firing were the problem, but it’s not. She’s going into the weeds because she’s being ghosted by her wife. Thinking about other things is just avoiding the real problem. That only makes her feel worse.

Athena powers the phone off and puts it aside. She’s not going to try again. She’s not going to leave one voicemail, let alone a bunch of them. She has to do her best not to make anxiety-fueled assumptions. Sal is busy and time zones are a real thing. It’s later in Scotland. Maybe she’s sleeping; maybe the day was so busy and exhausting that she forgot to call. There’s no reason to assume that this is something bad.

ATHENA

Waking up in a vast bed, tangled up with beautiful women, is exciting.

The encore performance that takes place in a shower as big as Sal’s bedroom at CGH is even more exciting. Soapy and wet, she cums hard from Sasha’s mouth while Cosette kisses her. She’s lost in the action, but aware that Irina is right there, watching and touching herself. Sal’s pride and instincts take over, and she kisses Irina and pushes her against the foggy glass, bringing her off skillfully with her hand and hopefully sending a clear message that she has not been swept off her feet. She is a participant.

The way that Irina kisses her after her walls stop crushing Sal’s fingers makes it clear that she approves.

The breakfast that follows is so decadent that it’s enough to push all those things that Sal is trying not to think about out of her mind. Reality does not intrude until she climbs into the limo, where Annette and Dulcita wait for her.

Annette does her the favor of speaking right away, allowing no time for thought. “Irina’s lawyers sent paperwork over this morning. Whatever you did, it worked.” She leans forward, offering her hand.

Sal laughs nervously and shakes. “I did my best.”

Annette has a lot of bearing and dignity, but she’s barely able to contain her excitement. “This is huge.”

Sal looks uncertainly at Dulcita, who does not appear quite as enthused. She still nods. “It’s big,” she agrees. “You did well.”

ATHENA

“Sheesh,” Jess says as they walk off the court. “What are you feeding her, Blair?”

“You played really well,” Blair says to Athena, who smiles. She’s dripping and sore after playing so hard. It does help, a little.

She couldn’t eat anything this morning, but now that she’s burned 9000 calories, it’s time. Athena has enough problems without being hangry from low blood sugar.

“I’m getting juice,” she announces and breaks off.

In line, she gets out her phone and checks Reddit. Will it help her feel better? No. But it will occupy her mind and keep it from wandering into any minefields.

She gets her juice and starts to wander back toward the courts, reluctantly putting her phone back in her purse. It’s hard to look away from Reddit once she starts scrolling it. That would be a fun game: just scroll until Sal calls. Because Athena is damn well not going to be the one to call again. She’s got two texts on read and Sal has a missed call from her. Sal is, according to young assistant with the sexy voice, not dead in a plane crash. Unbelievable shit. Just mind-blowing. Athena exhales and adjusts her bag containing her pickleball gear. She’s gonna smash everyone she’s up against. People won’t fear Blair anymore. They can fear Athena.

“Now I am become death,” she mutters, “…destroyer of pickleballs.”

She pauses; something’s going on over by the coffee kiosk. People are watching; phones are out. Athena heads over to find Blair facing down three men in imposing black uniforms, all three masked. One of them has a huge gun.

Blair glances over her shoulder. The two women in the kiosk look frightened.

“I guess the joke’s on me,” Blair is saying. “I was making all those jokes. I had a whole rant. I mean, I was checking every box for you guys,” she says, waving a hand.

“Ma’am,” one of the men says gruffly, but she keeps going, throwing a fierce look over her shoulder. The women in the kiosk begin to edge toward the exit.

“But I was being stupid. I’ve been laughing at these 2nd Amendment people, and I’ve been so wrong the whole time. I thought this was ridiculous. We don’t need guns.” One of them tries to push past her, and she stops him. “I just never thought it would happen to me. But here I am with three feral hogs right in front of me, and wouldn’t you know it, no fucking AR-15,” Blair snarls.

Athena blinks several times, mind struggling to work. “Oh my god,” she says to the nearest onlooker. “Are those guys ICE?”

The man in front of Blair steps back. He exchanges a look with his companions. As one, they draw tasers and fire.

“Ack,” Blair says, and topples over, twitching.

There are gasps and screams, but none louder than Athena’s as she drops her juice and claps her hands over her mouth. “Oh, Jesus Christ!” she shrieks.

Should Athena intervene?

Or run the other way?

[ Open ]