Homecourt Advantage (6 page)

Dawn returned to the sofa and sat down next to Lorraine with a quizzical expression on her face. It was obvious to Casey that Dawn’s confusion was probably a result of her medical background where things were black or white, not somewhere in between.

“Well, there’s not exactly any secret motivation here,” Casey said. “Alexis was fairly straight about what she expects from the wives and significant others during the play-offs.”

“What she expects?” Dawn asked with raised eyebrows.

Casey helplessly looked up at Remy, who was still standing at the window. It was going to be more challenging than she thought, especially with Trina there heading her off at every pass. And Dawn was very perceptive, although she was the youngest of the fivesome at twenty-five years old. Of course, she was in her first year of her medical residency in psychiatry.

“Maybe ‘expects’ was the wrong word to use. Maybe … a better way to describe it is that she’s hoping to get our cooperation to help ensure the image of the Flyers during the play-offs is … is flawless.”

“There’s nothin’ we can do about the team’s image,” Trina said. “Alexis was talkin’ out the side of her mouth sayin’ the wives need to dress more conservatively, tone down their makeup, and be at every home game on time ready to participate in courtside interviews if necessary,” Trina said, shaking her head.

“Tone down our makeup?” Dawn incredulously asked.

“Uh-huh,” Trina began, staring hard at Dawn. “And I can tell you right now she’d say somethin’ about that gray stuff you got sittin’ on your lips. What is that anyway?”

“It’s Blade, by Mac,” Dawn said, suddenly looking slightly self-conscious. “You don’t like it?”

“Is that what she said, Casey?” Lorraine quickly interrupted. “She told everyone how to dress? That’s extreme, even for Alexis. I mean, she’s always talked about us being punctual for the games and I’ve always recognized that she sizes me up every time she sees me, but trying to tell us how to wear our makeup and how to dress, that’s a bit much.”

“But wait, it gets better. She even went so far as to tell us not to bother our men with any domestic squabbles until the play-offs are over,” Trina said smugly.

“So she’s suggesting that we ignore any problems we might have with the guys until after the play-offs? She can’t be serious,” Dawn said, peering into a small compact mirror. After a quick glance she clamped it shut, as if dismissing, Casey thought, anyone’s petty concerns with her appearance.

Casey looked up at Remy, who appeared slightly amused. It was like a three-ring circus. Alexis was going overboard, but the team being sold was a real threat, and it was probably inevitable if the Flyers didn’t win the championship this year. Casey doubted many of the other women even knew about the potential sale, and if they did, she was sure their men had a gag order on them too. No one was supposed to know. Collin had not even told Remy.

Truthfully, the guys didn’t need any distractions right now, but how could she tell these women to change their style of dress and put their personal-relationship issues on the back burner until after the season? Hell, Casey didn’t know if that was something she could do herself. She’d had to physically bite her tongue about a hundred times since she’d found out that Brent had been seeing his illegitimate daughter behind her back. She didn’t even know if
she
could last until the end of the season, but she was willing to give it a try.

“You all are right,” Casey said. “It does sound crazy but—”

“Sounds crazy? Casey, it is crazy. That woman is nothin’ but crazy.”

“Come on, Trina. Don’t be nasty. She’s not crazy; maybe a little pretentious and misguided, but she’s not crazy,” Lorraine said.

“Listen, Trina,” Casey said soothingly. “I know you’ve been supporting Rick’s career for years, but can’t you just look at this as another way of supporting your man? I know this is a new team for you all, but in New York … well, things are done a little differently up …” Casey realized her mistake too late.

“Oh yeah, different than how us country folks down in North Carolina do things. That’s right, things are more sophisticated up here, Miss Casey. I’ve supported Rick in every way imaginable, but this is ridiculous.”

Trina could be so impossible at times.

“Trina, that’s not what she meant,” Remy finally interjected. “I hate to tell you this, but it
is
different for the guys playing basketball in the number one market in the country—just like it is for any entertainer working in New York City. They’re under much more intense scrutiny than any other place in the United States. The critics are tougher, the fans are tougher, the pressures are more abundant. It’s endless. And you know who else is included in that invasion? Us. The women behind the bench. I know you all aren’t public figures in your own right, but the media considers you fair game whether you like it or not, even those of us who aren’t even married to the guys,” Remy said, walking toward Trina.

Casey gave Remy a silent smile of thanks for coming to her rescue. Remy was her girl. Casey had begun to feel as if she was in over her head, and she was glad to have an ally.

“Look,” Casey said, “I know it may seem stupid on the surface, but think about it. How many times have any one of you gotten into an argument with your man before a game and it ruined his concentration and he ended up having a bad game? I know that’s happened to all of us at some point. And even if the argument was his fault, hell, we’re women, after all. We know we’re really stronger than men when it comes down to it. Is it going to hurt us to hold our tongues just until the play-offs are over? There’s a lot riding on this season.”

“Casey, that’s a lot to ask someone. It’s not like anyone plans to get into an argument with their man, but things happen, and when they do, who can hold back their feelings? I know it’s almost impossible for me,” Dawn said.

Dawn, the young fiancée of the hot rookie Michael Brown, had abewildered expression on her face. As Casey looked at her, she knew how bright Dawn was and she was also certain that Dawn admired and trusted her. Since the season had begun, Casey had, in a sense, taken Dawn under her wing. But Casey realized that a few of the wives resented Dawn because she was white and Michael was black. For some, that alone was enough to dislike Dawn. They blamed her for stealing one of their good black men, especially a wealthy one. And as much as Dawn respected Casey, she did not want to misuse this trust by manipulating her. Yet this was for the greater good of the team, wasn’t it?

“Think of it like this, Dawn. I know you’re doing a psychiatry residency, but you’re gonna have to do a surgery rotation too, right? If you had a big operation scheduled and Michael started an argument with you the night before this surgery, there’d be two ways to look at it. True, he may have had something on his chest that he couldn’t wait to get off, so he decided to tell you exactly how he felt and he goes off on you like there’s no tomorrow, and sure, he has that right. But him cursing you out might also be considered selfish as far as your work is concerned. Sometimes, when you truly love someone and want what’s best for them … it’s not always about being right and getting the winning point across … it’s about being selfless, too, for the greater good of the relationship, not the quick-fix, self-indulgent point you might be trying to prove for the sake of your own ego. You follow me?”

“Makes sense,” Lorraine said, nodding her head in agreement.

Casey looked at Trina lying back in her chair; she had her eyes and lips turned up to the intricately plastered ceiling in an “I’m not buying it” expression.

“So all I’m saying is, maybe we can be a little less selfish during this time and realize how important the play-offs are for the Flyers. Let them have their full sense of concentration. If you wanna curse them out the entire off-season, that’s your prerogative, but in the meantime we really could help them keep their minds on the game.”

Dawn seemed to be digesting everything Casey was saying to them all.

“I hear what you’re saying, Casey, and I understand not needing to stress out our men,” Lorraine said, sitting forward and snatching upanother one of Trina’s miniature cakes. “But Alexis wants us to be at all of these games on time. She knows some of us work. I know my job at the hospital is unpredictable sometimes, especially when I get a critical patient in ten minutes before my shift is supposed to be over. She’s gonna have to cut us some slack there. I mean, I’m not about to start missing work, play-offs or not.”

“Me neither,” Dawn chimed in.

“Well, neither am I, and I think even Alexis understands that, and if she doesn’t, that’s her problem,” Casey started. “But when we do go to the games, we can at least arrive on time.”

“Unless we’re running late and we’re coming from work,” Lorraine said with a satisfied smirk.

“Well, whatever the reason, just make sure you get your butt there whenever you can,” Casey said, glad that the mood had turned lighter even though she knew she had not gotten through to Trina, at least on the conservative-clothing part. As far as the games were concerned, Trina rarely missed them and was always early.

“I’ll be there like I always am, but I’m gonna be comfortable, that’s for sure.”

“All right, Trina, but—”

“Excuse me, ladies.” Martha, Casey’s live-in housekeeper, interrupted Trina. “The doorman just telephoned up and there’s a Kelly Tucker downstairs to see you, Casey.”

“Kelly?” Casey questioned, turning toward Martha.

“Yes.”

“Okay, thanks.”

How did Kelly know she was having some of the women over?

“Do you want me to have the doorman send her up?” Martha asked, standing in the library’s doorway.

“No, thanks. Tell him that I’ll be right down.”

“Sure.”

Martha hurried out as Casey stood up and looked around the room suspiciously.

“Did anyone mention to Kelly that we were getting together?”

Casey watched as everyone shook their heads no and looked around, staring at one another, confused. All of the women had witnessed Kelly in action at one time or another and they knew what a loose cannon she could be.

“What’s up with the ‘Tucker’ last name?” Trina demanded. “When’s that girl gonna learn? Didn’t Steve have his new girlfriend at Alexis’s house for the breakfast?”

“Yeah,” Casey answered. “Her name’s Stephanie. I’ll be right back.” Something had to be up for Kelly to crash in on her like this.

Riding down in the elevator, Casey hoped Kelly didn’t come over to confront her about being snubbed today. Casey knew that Alexis had not included her in the breakfast at Steve’s request, but Kelly considered Casey her friend. How could she explain not inviting Kelly to her own home?

As soon as Casey arrived in the lobby, she noticed Kelly and Diamond sitting on one of the guest chairs. Kelly looked uncharacteristically demure as she held her adorable twenty-month-old daughter in her lap.

“Hey, Kelly.”

“Hi, Casey! I’m so glad to see you, girl,” Kelly excitedly said, standing up to greet Casey as if she were her long-lost sister.

“Were you just in the neighborhood or something?” Casey asked after a long, tense silence.

Casey watched as Kelly cast down her eyes and then quickly looked back up and rubbed Diamond’s small back.

“Is it possible for us to go upstairs and talk?”

“Kelly, it’s not really a good time and—”

“I understand, I understand,” Kelly quickly said. “And I’m really sorry for just coming over like this, but I need to ask you a favor.”

“Well, you can ask me right here. Let’s sit down.”

Kelly followed Casey’s lead and took a seat on the lobby chair across from her and started to speak. She stopped several times before finally uttering a sound other than a sigh.

“Casey, I know that you know that me and Steve have been having some problems lately.”

Truthfully, she didn’t think they were still together as a couple to even have any problems. Casey, like everybody else, knew they had a child together, but Steve behaved as if he and Kelly were history.

“I suppose I’ve heard that.” Casey hesitated.

“Yeah, we’ve been having some difficulties, but I think we’re gonna be able to work everything out real soon,” Kelly said, playing with one of Diamond’s short braids.

What was she getting at?

“I … we, me and Diamond haven’t seen too much of him lately, and I know all we need is to have a little more family time with him. Then we’ll be able to get things back on track. You know what I mean, Casey? Like when you tryin’ to work things out with your man?”

“Yeah,” Casey said defensively. She wondered just how much Kelly knew about her issues with Brent.

“Well, that’s what I’m tryin’ to do with Steve. I want us to be a family again. I mean, I am still his fiancée, after all.” The real Kelly peeked out, flamboyantly waving the rock Steve had given her in Casey’s face.

Casey had no idea what was really going on between the two of them, but she had no interest in playing mediator. All she knew was that Steve had asked Alexis to invite another girl to the breakfast. Someone who was a polar opposite of Kelly.

“I see,” Casey said, afraid to find out the favor Kelly wanted from her, but her guests were still upstairs and she was anxious for Kelly to get to the point. “Well, what do you want me to do?”

“You know Diamond is finally old enough to understand what her daddy is doing out there on the basketball court.”

Casey looked at the little girl, who was under two years old, and very much doubted that she knew what her daddy was doing running up and down the court.

“And with the way things have been between me and Steve, I don’t know if he’s even gonna invite me to the first play-off game,” Kelly said as she began to sniffle. “This might be Diamond’s only chance to see her daddy in the play-offs.”

The truth finally came out. Kelly wanted a ticket to the first play-off game, and the closer the seat was to the court, the better. Of course, Casey’s seats were better than any of the other wives’ as Brent was the franchise player for the New York Flyers. Not that any of the other women would have even considered letting Kelly sit with them at the