ER Day 11 - A mystery

You find Lara downstairs with Max, sitting close to her while the slim brunette eats her breakfast. Lara is probably already flirting. She’s a very driven person. You know that she likes to travel, she’s got lots of spirit on the field, and now you know that her libido never switches off.

Maybe she does a lot of coke or something.

You tap her shoulder and she steps away with you. “What’s up?”

“I can’t find Ela. You said you saw a coach? Whose?”

“Not one of ours. I mean from before FUTA,” Lara says with a yawn. “When everyone had to be sponsored by a coach.”

Right. Back then, your had been Michelle. You owe her a call. But right now, focus on Ela.

“I dunno her name,” Lara says, tapping a finger on her chin. “I only know that I saw her go to coach meetings.”

“What’s she look like?”

“Brunette, short hair, older. Fortyish,” Lara says, looking thoughtful. She takes a sip of coffee, with her other hand on her hip. “Attractive,” she adds, glancing at you. “Stern. Like she’d hit your knuckles with a ruler, you know. Fit.”

Shit. That has to be Ela’s sister. You’ve only seen her a few times, but one of those times was memorable. It was here, in this room. She was at the Lodge when you and Ela were just starting out. You actually fooled around in front of her, but you tried to be sneaky about it. You sensed a lot of tension and weirdness between Ela and her sister. This doesn’t seem good…

“Thanks,” you say, and walk away, getting out your phone. You call Michelle, who picks up sounding sleepy.

“Riley,” she says. “Congrats on yesterday.”

“Thanks. Listen, do you remember Ela’s sister?”

“Who, Zofia? Sure. She never said much, but she came to everything.” Michelle yawns. “Kind of a hardass. Why?”

“Is she still around? Still working for FUTA?” It seemed like most of the coaches took some kind of gig with FUTA.

“I don’t think so. I haven’t seen her.”

“I need a favor. I need you to ask around about her. And about Ela.”

“Ela, the player on Yellow Team?”

“Yes. She kind of disappeared on me here, and I don’t think she’s ghosting me.” It wouldn’t make sense. Ela had a good night last night. That’s not to say that she can’t have privacy or want to do something on her own today, but the sudden vanishing without her phone makes you suspicious enough that looking for her seems justified. “She left her phone behind. I just want to make sure she’s OK and give back her phone.”

“Well, I can ask. I’m sure she’ll turn up, Riley.”

But she doesn’t. Later that day, Michelle gets back to you.

“Well, I thought you were either crazy or a stalker, but I guess you’re right,” she says.

That’s… not what you wanted to hear.

“Ela broke her contract. She’s out.”

“Out?”

“Of FUTA. Looks like she gave the money back and forfeited her spot,” Michelle says, sounding puzzled. “Weird. Stats-wise, she was doing OK. And I know that the boss had her on a list of girls to talk to about sponsorship deals, so I’m not sure what happened there. But yes, Riley. She’s gone. Probably on a plane home by now.”

You thank Michelle, but you’re stunned. It’s a rainy day, so everyone is stuck inside the Lodge. You go outside, but stay under the edge of the house to keep out of the rain. You need to get away from to think.

Gone without a word, not taking her phone… and the sister was here at the Lodge to get her. It feels more like a **** than anything else to you.

Lara comes outside and joins you. She leans on the Lodge, folding her arms and watching you expectantly.

“Something to do with Ela?” she asks. Of course she’s noticed that Ela isn’t around.

You nod. “Yes. I don’t understand it. She left without her phone. Left FUTA.”

Lara looks taken aback. “She quit?”

“Yes.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“I thought so too. I guess I don’t know much about her,” you say. “But still.”

There’s a whole conversation to have about boundaries and privacy. You’ve known Ela for less than two weeks. She can do what she wants, and she doesn’t owe you an explanation or anything.

But she left her phone. Who does that?

You want to make sure that she’s OK.