Then She Walked Away, chapter 2
When Thursday rolled around, Terri found herself running around as she did every time there was a competition. She would get to work around seven in the morning and work straight through until three in the afternoon, only taking a break for lunch at twelve. Then, she'd hop into her car and drive down to the pool, change out of her jeans and into her comfortable board shorts and two-piece navy blue swimsuit.
But no matter how flustered she was, she loved it. She's been doing these competitions since she was five years old and when she was finally old enough, she was always managing everyone that was setting up, all the timers, and the volunteers that were mostly enthusiastic parents of the children swimming. As five o'clock neared, Terri finally sat down and opened her packed dinner; left over Chinese food from last night.
As she scanned through all the cards from her swimmers, she heard her voice being called by her little star swimmer. "Terri!"
She looked up and squinted through her glasses to see little Jacob Armstrong sprinting towards her and what she assumed to be his father walking with Adrienne. Although she tried not to stare, she couldn't help but wonder where she's seen that man before.
* *
As Billie walked in with Adrienne and Joey, he smiled when Jacob, his towel draped over his shoulders, spotted this 'Terri' girl and sprinted over to her. "He's quite excited, isn't he," Billie laughed.
Adrienne nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jacob declares that he's going to marry her any day now."
The family walked over to where Terri was sitting and Billie Joe gently placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Jake... don't you want to let your coach finish eating dinner?" he said, reminding his son not to forget his manners.
"It's no matter," Terri said, standing up. "I'm just about done anyway," she lied as she closed the container to her not even half-eaten meal.
"Terri, this is my other son, Joey, to which you've met before," Adrienne said as Joey nodded. "And this is my husband, Billie Joe."
Billie Joe extended his hand and Terri took it and smiled. "Pleasure to meet you sir," she said politely.
"Sir," Billie said with mock disgust. "Please, it's Billie."
"Alright then."
"Can we start?" Jacob called.
Everyone turned to him and Terri nodded. "I want to go over some things with you and then we'll start a quick warm-up, alright?"
Jacob nodded excitedly and reached up to take Terri's hand. Grinning, Billie Joe exchanged glances with his wife. "Any day now," he teased.
Terri took her bag and swung it over her shoulder and then turned back to the family. "Our team is on the right side, if that matters," she told them.
"Of course it matters," Joey spoke up with a smile. "This is so cool," he told his dad.
"There are some other people joining us tonight," Adrienne said. "Um... Billie, did you bring your phone?" she asked.
Billie touched his pockets and shook his head, but before he could say anything, Terri took out her phone. "You can use mine Adrienne. I'm just probably going to need it back before the races start... you know, there's always parents that call me to tell me that they're running late and stuff," she said as she offered the phone to Adrienne.
"Oh thanks," she said, taking it and looking at it. "I'll give it back to you in a sec."
Looking at Jacob, Terri smiled. "Alright Armstrong, you ready."
"Yeah!"
Terri waved off to Billie Joe, Joey and Adrienne as she and Jacob walked towards the area where the other swimmers were waiting and talking with their swim team coaches.
Later on, Billie Joe was sitting with his oldest son and wife on the bleachers and he felt a small punch on his leg. "Hey BJ," Tre said with a grin.
Tre, along with Ramona, climbed up to sit beside the green-eyed singer and Billie noticed that Mike was just behind him with Estelle. "Cool phone Adie, that the one with the iTunes on it?" Tre asked as he sat down.
Adrienne nodded as Mike helped Estelle up before him. "It's Terri's... Jacob's coach," she started as Tre took it out of her hands and scanned through the song list.
"At least you know Jacob's in good hands. She has good taste in music."
Billie Joe looked over to see 'Bob Dylan', 'Dead Kennedys', 'The Clash', 'The Ramones', 'The Frustrators', and of course, 'Green Day', among others. "Hey Mike," Tre said. "She's got that other band of yours in here.
Mike looked up at him and there was a bit of surprise in his expression. "Really?"
"Yeah. Cool eh? Is she hot?" Tre asked.
Adrienne tapped him in the arm and smiled. "Look for yourself. Do you think you could give the phone back to her?"
Tre nodded and started to stand up. "Sure, but where is she?"
Billie squinted to look over where he thought that she might be. "Well, she's over there somewhere. If you can find Jacob, then you'll find her no doubt."
Tre nodded and set off into duty. When he left, Ramona moved over beside Estelle and the two started to talk, along with Joey adding his comedic inputs every so often, but mostly Joey just listened. Mike turned to Billie and Adrienne. "Did you ask her yet?"
Adrienne shook her head. "Not yet. She's coming over for drinks and stuff later, to which I'm assuming you're coming too."
Mike nodded. "Sure, but seriously though, do you think she'll mind? I mean, she's already got her hands full with Rolling Stone and this," he said, pointing out the environment around them.
"Well, we'll find out later, won't we," Adrienne said with a grin.
* *
Tre walked across the grass area and saw Jacob sitting on a picnic table, swinging his legs back and forth. He smiled and when Jacob caught sight of his godfather, his eyes lit up. "Uncle Tre!" he said bouncing up and into Tre's open arms.
Tre grinned as he picked Jacob clean off of the ground and into the air. "Hey little buddy, how are you doing? Nervous?" he asked, setting the boy down.
"No... " he started, although the fact that Jacob had to look down at his feet made Tre believe otherwise.
"You'll do fine. And don't worry, it's only your first competition. And from what I hear, you'll be having a lot more."
"Really?" he said, worriedly.
"Yeah. Of course you will."
"I don't know... " Jacob said, letting his nervousness get the better of him.
"Well that attitude won't get you anywhere," Tre said kneeling down in front of Jacob.
"I like swimming, but I don't know if I'm good," Jacob confided in Tre.
"You're not just good from what I hear," Tre started. "You're great!"
Tre looked up at the second person who spoke the last two words at the same time as he did. Maybe it was the light, but her hair had a tint of red, but also of a dark bronze. Her eyes, a sea-green, were vibrant and mysterious. Her lips were full and pink, but in simpler words, she was the most beautiful woman that his eyes have been lucky enough to grace. And on her pierced nose rested a small diamond. "Jinx," she said kindly.
Tre stood up and looked at the woman before him. "Hi... I'm Tre," he told her, extending his hand.
Terri took it and shook it politely. "I'm Terri."
Tre looked from Terri to Jacob and smiled. "So you're the coach," he said slyly.
Terri nodded, placing her cap on her head. "That's right. And you're... "
"He's my dad's friend... and my godfather," Jacob said proudly.
Terri nodded and then saw that Tre had her phone in his hand. "I see that thing's going around," she smiled.
Tre looked down and forgot for a second why he was there in the first place. "Oh yeah, Adie asked me to bring this to you. She says thanks again."
"It's nothing," she said, taking her phone that Tre was handing to her. Tre watched her delicate features smile as she looked down at Jacob and was quite taken aback not just from her beauty, but the fact that she had a body to die for. It was quite toned, due to the swimming he assumed, and the light tan from the California sun did nothing but complimented it. Swallowing the dryness in his mouth, Tre looked up at her again. As Terri looked at her watch, her eyes widened for a second. "Shit... it's already a quarter to six. We should get you warmed up right Jacob."
Jacob looked at his coach and nodded in agreement. Terri took the towel from off of his shoulders and turned back to Tre. "It was nice meeting you. I assume that you'll be here for the rest of the competition as well?"
"You assumed right."
Terri smiled at Tre... a smile that he was quick to take into memory. "So I'll be seeing you later then. But you'll have to excuse me, I have to be getting my swimmers ready."
Tre took a step back and waved his hand up. "Nice meeting you as well. Take it easy," he said casually as he turned to walk back to where he was sitting. He turned back once to watch as Terri, surrounded by other swimmers of her, old and young, got them all ready and offered some pointers and tips as they warmed up in the water. Before he got to his seat however, Terri had looked up and spotted Tre watching her. She smiled shyly at him and waved cutely at him, and Tre knew that he would make it a point to seeing Terri later.
But no matter how flustered she was, she loved it. She's been doing these competitions since she was five years old and when she was finally old enough, she was always managing everyone that was setting up, all the timers, and the volunteers that were mostly enthusiastic parents of the children swimming. As five o'clock neared, Terri finally sat down and opened her packed dinner; left over Chinese food from last night.
As she scanned through all the cards from her swimmers, she heard her voice being called by her little star swimmer. "Terri!"
She looked up and squinted through her glasses to see little Jacob Armstrong sprinting towards her and what she assumed to be his father walking with Adrienne. Although she tried not to stare, she couldn't help but wonder where she's seen that man before.
* *
As Billie walked in with Adrienne and Joey, he smiled when Jacob, his towel draped over his shoulders, spotted this 'Terri' girl and sprinted over to her. "He's quite excited, isn't he," Billie laughed.
Adrienne nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jacob declares that he's going to marry her any day now."
The family walked over to where Terri was sitting and Billie Joe gently placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Jake... don't you want to let your coach finish eating dinner?" he said, reminding his son not to forget his manners.
"It's no matter," Terri said, standing up. "I'm just about done anyway," she lied as she closed the container to her not even half-eaten meal.
"Terri, this is my other son, Joey, to which you've met before," Adrienne said as Joey nodded. "And this is my husband, Billie Joe."
Billie Joe extended his hand and Terri took it and smiled. "Pleasure to meet you sir," she said politely.
"Sir," Billie said with mock disgust. "Please, it's Billie."
"Alright then."
"Can we start?" Jacob called.
Everyone turned to him and Terri nodded. "I want to go over some things with you and then we'll start a quick warm-up, alright?"
Jacob nodded excitedly and reached up to take Terri's hand. Grinning, Billie Joe exchanged glances with his wife. "Any day now," he teased.
Terri took her bag and swung it over her shoulder and then turned back to the family. "Our team is on the right side, if that matters," she told them.
"Of course it matters," Joey spoke up with a smile. "This is so cool," he told his dad.
"There are some other people joining us tonight," Adrienne said. "Um... Billie, did you bring your phone?" she asked.
Billie touched his pockets and shook his head, but before he could say anything, Terri took out her phone. "You can use mine Adrienne. I'm just probably going to need it back before the races start... you know, there's always parents that call me to tell me that they're running late and stuff," she said as she offered the phone to Adrienne.
"Oh thanks," she said, taking it and looking at it. "I'll give it back to you in a sec."
Looking at Jacob, Terri smiled. "Alright Armstrong, you ready."
"Yeah!"
Terri waved off to Billie Joe, Joey and Adrienne as she and Jacob walked towards the area where the other swimmers were waiting and talking with their swim team coaches.
Later on, Billie Joe was sitting with his oldest son and wife on the bleachers and he felt a small punch on his leg. "Hey BJ," Tre said with a grin.
Tre, along with Ramona, climbed up to sit beside the green-eyed singer and Billie noticed that Mike was just behind him with Estelle. "Cool phone Adie, that the one with the iTunes on it?" Tre asked as he sat down.
Adrienne nodded as Mike helped Estelle up before him. "It's Terri's... Jacob's coach," she started as Tre took it out of her hands and scanned through the song list.
"At least you know Jacob's in good hands. She has good taste in music."
Billie Joe looked over to see 'Bob Dylan', 'Dead Kennedys', 'The Clash', 'The Ramones', 'The Frustrators', and of course, 'Green Day', among others. "Hey Mike," Tre said. "She's got that other band of yours in here.
Mike looked up at him and there was a bit of surprise in his expression. "Really?"
"Yeah. Cool eh? Is she hot?" Tre asked.
Adrienne tapped him in the arm and smiled. "Look for yourself. Do you think you could give the phone back to her?"
Tre nodded and started to stand up. "Sure, but where is she?"
Billie squinted to look over where he thought that she might be. "Well, she's over there somewhere. If you can find Jacob, then you'll find her no doubt."
Tre nodded and set off into duty. When he left, Ramona moved over beside Estelle and the two started to talk, along with Joey adding his comedic inputs every so often, but mostly Joey just listened. Mike turned to Billie and Adrienne. "Did you ask her yet?"
Adrienne shook her head. "Not yet. She's coming over for drinks and stuff later, to which I'm assuming you're coming too."
Mike nodded. "Sure, but seriously though, do you think she'll mind? I mean, she's already got her hands full with Rolling Stone and this," he said, pointing out the environment around them.
"Well, we'll find out later, won't we," Adrienne said with a grin.
* *
Tre walked across the grass area and saw Jacob sitting on a picnic table, swinging his legs back and forth. He smiled and when Jacob caught sight of his godfather, his eyes lit up. "Uncle Tre!" he said bouncing up and into Tre's open arms.
Tre grinned as he picked Jacob clean off of the ground and into the air. "Hey little buddy, how are you doing? Nervous?" he asked, setting the boy down.
"No... " he started, although the fact that Jacob had to look down at his feet made Tre believe otherwise.
"You'll do fine. And don't worry, it's only your first competition. And from what I hear, you'll be having a lot more."
"Really?" he said, worriedly.
"Yeah. Of course you will."
"I don't know... " Jacob said, letting his nervousness get the better of him.
"Well that attitude won't get you anywhere," Tre said kneeling down in front of Jacob.
"I like swimming, but I don't know if I'm good," Jacob confided in Tre.
"You're not just good from what I hear," Tre started. "You're great!"
Tre looked up at the second person who spoke the last two words at the same time as he did. Maybe it was the light, but her hair had a tint of red, but also of a dark bronze. Her eyes, a sea-green, were vibrant and mysterious. Her lips were full and pink, but in simpler words, she was the most beautiful woman that his eyes have been lucky enough to grace. And on her pierced nose rested a small diamond. "Jinx," she said kindly.
Tre stood up and looked at the woman before him. "Hi... I'm Tre," he told her, extending his hand.
Terri took it and shook it politely. "I'm Terri."
Tre looked from Terri to Jacob and smiled. "So you're the coach," he said slyly.
Terri nodded, placing her cap on her head. "That's right. And you're... "
"He's my dad's friend... and my godfather," Jacob said proudly.
Terri nodded and then saw that Tre had her phone in his hand. "I see that thing's going around," she smiled.
Tre looked down and forgot for a second why he was there in the first place. "Oh yeah, Adie asked me to bring this to you. She says thanks again."
"It's nothing," she said, taking her phone that Tre was handing to her. Tre watched her delicate features smile as she looked down at Jacob and was quite taken aback not just from her beauty, but the fact that she had a body to die for. It was quite toned, due to the swimming he assumed, and the light tan from the California sun did nothing but complimented it. Swallowing the dryness in his mouth, Tre looked up at her again. As Terri looked at her watch, her eyes widened for a second. "Shit... it's already a quarter to six. We should get you warmed up right Jacob."
Jacob looked at his coach and nodded in agreement. Terri took the towel from off of his shoulders and turned back to Tre. "It was nice meeting you. I assume that you'll be here for the rest of the competition as well?"
"You assumed right."
Terri smiled at Tre... a smile that he was quick to take into memory. "So I'll be seeing you later then. But you'll have to excuse me, I have to be getting my swimmers ready."
Tre took a step back and waved his hand up. "Nice meeting you as well. Take it easy," he said casually as he turned to walk back to where he was sitting. He turned back once to watch as Terri, surrounded by other swimmers of her, old and young, got them all ready and offered some pointers and tips as they warmed up in the water. Before he got to his seat however, Terri had looked up and spotted Tre watching her. She smiled shyly at him and waved cutely at him, and Tre knew that he would make it a point to seeing Terri later.
