Kate's Recovery Pt. 01

Kate listened to the doctor's initial prognosis: torn ACL and MCL; the MCL tear was probably minor and would heal on its own, but the ACL would need surgery. They would confirm with an MRI in the morning once her swelling settled. She tried to remain stoic as the Doctor explained that with surgery, she might recover in six months, but she may not regain full strength in her knee for nine months to a year.

Just a few hours earlier, she had been in the quarter-finals of the French Open at Roland Garros. The first Grand Slam, she believed she could make the semis. She wasn't a natural clay court player, but she'd worked hard and had gone into the tournament in the form of her life, finally breaking the world's top twenty. Then her knee hyper-extended and buckled as she slid to return a forehand, and now she was in a hospital.

Kate was crying softly as she looked over to the other people in the room: her parents, Mike and Sarah. She noted her mother was crying softly as well. Kate couldn't deal with that and focused on her father, the person she always trusted to protect her.

"What do I do now, Daddy?" Kate asked through the tears.

Instead of answering, her father stood up, came to her bedside, and took her hand.

"We move one step at a time," Mike said softly. "We confirm your injury; if it's as bad as we think, we'll get you the best surgeon we can find and then focus on your recovery."

Kate smiled weakly through the tears and squeezed his hand. Her father had a talent for thinking things through and making them simple for her. It was why she had begged him to manage her career when she turned professional. He had already been doing the job when she was a junior. She closed her eyes and accepted his kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, Daddy, I love you," she whispered.

He didn't respond; he just smiled reassuringly before taking his seat and allowing her mother to take his place at her side.

Her mother was a different proposition. Where her father would restrain himself to focus on the problem at hand, her mother was free with her emotions.

"It's going to be okay," Sarah said. "You know, Dad will do everything he can to make this okay. We'll get you back on the court better than before."

"I know, Mum. I love you both so much," Kate said, crying too.

After a few minutes, her mother released her grip and sat beside her father. Her father was now typing away on his laptop. Kate smiled as her mother didn't disturb him, just putting her head on his shoulder while he worked.

Using the moment of silence, she decided to check her phone. The sheer number of messages and well-wishes quickly overwhelmed her. Instead of replying individually, she sent a mass update to the massive clan she called family and turned it off.

Kate: Hey, I'm okay. I won't know anything until I get my scans tomorrow, and then I'll update you. I'm turning my phone off; I'm getting too many messages. Love you.

Kate was thinking about a nap when her Coach, Josh, and Agent, Damon, walked in, followed by her assistant, Pheobe.

"What did the doc say?" Damon asked without even asking how she felt. He then noticed her parents in the room. "Oh, hello, Mike, Sarah," he said with more concern.

"Nothing definite until I get an MRI," Kate replied, biting back her annoyance. "The doctor is arranging them for the morning."

"Are you sure we can't get a scan tonight?" Damon frowned. "We need a press release."

"Damon," Mike interrupted firmly. "I have two draft releases I am about to send to you. I'm only sending them to you, so if they are released before we confirm Kate's injury, I'll know where to look for the leak, and we'll have a big problem, such as a lawsuit for disclosing medical information without permission. The doctor said tomorrow, so tomorrow it is."

Kate hid her smile as she saw Pheobe smirk behind Damon's back, as his face reddened.

"But Mike, we need to get on top of this; the press is already speculating," Damon answered, trying to regain control.

"Pheobe, be a dear and get everyone some coffee," Mike said calmly. "Take my card and make sure to get yourself something."

"Let them speculate," Mike said, once Pheobe had left. "Unless Kate says otherwise, I'm not happy releasing any news without medical confirmation."

Damon looked about to burst and turned to Kate.

"Kate, ultimately, it's your decision; I think we should get something out tonight and keep you in the news."

I don't want to be in the news for an injury," Kate said, keeping her voice steady. "Daddy is right; we'll wait for the confirmation and release something. I'll post on social media to let everyone know I'm okay, but nothing official on my injury until I've had the scan."

Damon slumped in defeat before taking one of the spare seats and pulling out his phone. Kate suspected he was informing his press contacts that there would be no news. She knew that Damon disliked her father's influence over her career. The feeling was mutual; her father's disdain for agents wasn't a secret.

Kate's first agent had dropped her when she was nineteen after she refused to participate in a bikini campaign. He argued that it was time to sell her image as a woman, not just a tennis player. Kate was disgusted at the idea; she was a tennis player, not a model. She knew the cautionary tales of talented players who were seen as sex symbols first. She wasn't going to be another one. It was bad enough that she'd been sexualised since she was a teenager thanks to her tennis skirts and dresses. She'd learned to ignore the social media comments on her looks. She had no intention of feeding the fantasies of strangers.

After that experience, all agents felt the same, so they settled on Damon's firm; he felt the most compatible with her vision for her brand. He did occasionally get annoyed that Kate wouldn't do more, but he was betting on her long-term career. Most final decisions went via her father's desk. She insisted on it; anyone who wanted to sign her had to accept her father's presence and role in her career. She would make her final decisions after long conversations with him, covering every angle and working out the best outcome for her.

As a result, her father became famous in the tennis world as a no-nonsense negotiator who refused to compromise Kate's comfort or safety. Indeed, some of the other players on tour had asked him to represent them, but he refused; this was just for her, his daughter. He did provide free advice to parents of young players, particularly young women who were just starting their journey.

Josh used the impasse between Damon and her father to pass on his reassurances that he had no doubt Kate would return. She was a little more sympathetic to Josh. She had known him since she was fifteen, and he had been one of her junior coaches at the LTA. When she turned professional, she'd asked him to join her. He'd taken a chance and left behind his secure job to follow her.

Beneath his kind words was the unspoken truth that his income depended on her playing and earning on a tennis court. She paid him the base tour rate; the rest of his earnings were based on her appearance fees and performance. A lengthy injury meant a drastic drop in his income and, honestly, the end of their professional relationship. Her rise up the rankings had put him in demand. Despite this, his words were kind and empathetic.

When Pheobe returned with the coffee, Damon took his with only a courtesy farewell and rushed out of the room. Josh hugged Kate one more time with a whispered "good luck" and followed. She listened quietly as her father gave Pheobe instructions for the next few days. Officially, Pheobe was employed by her father to look after Kate as needed. After Josh, Phoebe was the only one who travelled everywhere with her. Her parents tried to attend every major tournament, and her other family attended other events when they could.

Soon, the day's emotions overtook her, and she wanted to sleep. Her mother noticed the first yawn.

"Get some sleep, baby girl; we'll be back in the morning," Sarah said with a kiss.

Once everyone had left the room, Kate made herself as comfortable as she could. Despite the emotional fatigue, sleep eluded her. Lying in the hospital bed, she remembered learning how to play tennis. Tennis was her thing with her dad. Her brother, Will, shared his love of rugby, cricket, and the African bush, and her sister, Lettie, would have long, intellectual discussions with him about history. Tennis was theirs.

She remembered the first time she asked him to teach her. She was eight.

It was in Botswana, her family's second home. She had seen tennis on TV several times, but her father always changed the channel to football or cricket, sometimes suggesting they watch a film instead. One day, when her parents left her and her siblings with Auntie Sharon and Uncle Stuart, one of her sets of bonus grandparents, for an 'adult day' with their friends. Will played outside with Uncle Stuart and their younger cousin Charlie. Lettie was engrossed in one of her books, so Kate joined Auntie Sharon, who was watching the US Open. Kate was hooked instantly and spent the rest of the day watching all the matches.

Auntie Sharon didn't say anything. She wrapped her arm around Kate and answered her questions about the rules and the players. When the matches were over, Auntie Sharon asked for Kate's help in the kitchen.

"You know your Daddy used to be a very good tennis player when he was your age," Auntie Sharon said, handing her a juice box. "Maybe if we ask him nicely, he'll teach you."

"Do you really think he would?" Kate asked hopefully. "He always changes the channel at home."

"He would do anything for you, I promise," Auntie Sharon replied. "Some people hurt him when he was a little older than you are now, so he stopped playing. It used to make him very happy, and maybe you can help make him happy if you play with him."

Kate was indignant over the idea that someone had hurt her father, but she latched on to the idea of making him happy. When her parents arrived to pick them up, she immediately begged him to teach her how to play tennis.

"Daddy," Kate said breathlessly. "Auntie Sharon says you can teach me how to play tennis. She says if we play together, I can teach you how to be happy playing tennis again."

Kate still remembered the look on his face when she asked. Although she was too young to recognise the full range of emotions on his face, she remembered the love in his eyes when he looked at her. She later realised that his initial reaction had been fear and shock.

"Okay, Princess, I'll teach you how to play," he replied with a smile.

The next morning, he went off on his own for a few hours while her mother took her and her siblings swimming. When he returned, he loaded everyone in the car and drove them to some local courts. Kate later learned they were the same courts he had grown up playing on. At the club, he produced four racquets, making sure to include her Mum and siblings, before he spent the afternoon teaching them the basics.

For the rest of their holiday, Kate begged to play every day. This continued when they returned to England. Her dad joined their local club and signed her up for coaching. Lettie wasn't particularly sporty and lost interest quickly. Will preferred rugby and cricket, but Kate was enamoured and played every chance she got. Her talent was spotted quickly by the head coach at the club, who took her under his wing. Within a year, she was playing three age groups up, and by the time she was twelve, she was playing in the adult league.

This led to her entering national tournaments affiliated with the ITF junior tour. By fifteen, she was ranked by the ITF, which led to her acceptance into the LTA National Academy at Loughborough University. It was difficult, but Loughborough wasn't particularly far from her home town, Oxford; throughout this time, everyone supported her dreams. The only things her parents insisted on were that she keep up with her schoolwork and that she couldn't turn professional before her eighteenth birthday.

She won junior Wimbledon twice and the Junior US Open once before turning professional. The first few years were hard. Her initial sponsorship deals were mostly incentive-based, paying just above the minimum in guarantees based on her potential. For the most part, she chose brands that demonstrated the most long-term vision for her growth. She was lucky that her junior success had given her a strong social media following, which she could leverage in some of her endorsements. Her parents having the means to support her through her first couple of years on the Tour didn't hurt. By her twentieth birthday, she ranked in the top fifty, which came with more support and a stable income.

Her worst fears came true: it was a full ACL tear. She would need surgery. Her father dealt with the press, asking for privacy, while Pheobe withdrew her from the remaining tournaments on her schedule. She was on the sports news cycle for a day as pundits commented on her form and the difficulty of returning after such an injury.

She expected to go home as soon as she was discharged from the hospital, but her father quickly corrected her. Instead, he had booked them into a hotel on the edge of Paris, away from the tournament bubble.

"You're going to have to give me a couple of days, Princess," Mike said, smiling. "You can't bend your knee in that brace; I need to talk to your insurance company about getting a charter flight so you have the space you need. I'd rather they pay up front than spend the next few weeks trying to claim it back. I need to release Pheobe from her daily duties, with you not being able to tour she can work remotely and take well-earned break. Don't worry I'm still going to pay her full salary."

"Does this mean the rules have changed?" Kate asked curiously.

"Nope, this is just an exception to the rule forced by circumstance," Mike said firmly. "And the rules are?"

"No private jets until I break the top ten or win a Slam."

"That's my girl," Mike laughed, kissing her forehead.

Josh resigned the day after she got the news. She wished him the best, invited him for dinner at the new hotel and made sure her father gave him a bonus on top of what he would have earned for the tournament. Her father worked to keep her grounded; he kept conversations focused on the present. They discussed the different surgeons they'd been recommended and the practicalities of her recovery. They quickly agreed she would get the surgery in Oxford so she could recover at home. But every night before he went to bed, he would hug her tightly and remind her that he loved her.

Kate continued to sleep restlessly, thinking about the things she sacrificed to play tennis. She thought about the normal teenage life her siblings and cousins had lived while she spent her summers at the tennis academy and playing on the junior tour. She thought about the events she had missed so she could fulfil her dreams. She thought about the time with their parents she'd taken away from Will and Lettie, so one or both could join her while she chased her dream. No one had ever complained or judged her, believing in her talent.

Kate thought about love and someone to share her life with. She was twenty-four and had never had a real relationship. She believed in true love. Her parents made it real for her. They were magnetically drawn to each other, and she genuinely believed them when they told her they wouldn't survive without each other.

Kate had seen the reality of relationships on tour. Players had illicit affairs in the privacy of tournament hotels. They were never anything more than brief interludes created by adrenaline and proximity of several attractive athletic colleagues before they moved on to the next tournament. Kate had indulged a few times, but it had never been anything more than hormones and stress relief.

Occasionally, the tabloids would link her to some celebrities, but most of the rumours were false. She wasn't interested in having a private life on display in the press. She remembered agreeing to a date that never happened with a young actor. She was thinking about which dress to buy when she received a request to meet his publicist and discuss how to present their relationship to ensure maximum exposure. Kate walked out when break-up scenarios were discussed and blocked their numbers.

She knew her sister enjoyed a fairly carefree life, juggling multiple men in London. But that didn't really work for Kate either. She couldn't just go to a bar and pick someone up. Nothing ruined a passionate moment quite like asking a potential partner to sign an NDA and locking it in the hotel safe, but it was necessary. So Kate withdrew from dating and focused on her tennis, living vicariously through her sister, and the high-quality toys Lettie procured for her discreetly. She didn't want to explain those purchases when her father went through her credit card bill--the only downside to making him her manager.

Kate wasn't sure she was ready to face the real world when it was time to head home, but her parents reminded her this was part of the life she had chosen. On crutches, with her leg in a brace, she gave a brief press conference outside the hotel, letting everyone know she planned to return better than ever. With a smile for the cameras and a few autographs for the fans outside the hotel, she allowed herself to be led to the car that would take them to their flight home.

"So, when we get home, how many people are waiting for me?" Kate asked once they were in the air.

Her father had the decency to look uncomfortable and look away, but her mum looked straight at her.

"Nana, Lettie, Adam, Mandy, Aiden and Natalie," Sarah answered. "Aiden is doing a braai for you. Aunt Karen and Uncle Edward will visit during the week. It was all your Dad could do to stop Grandma and Aunt Karen from coming to Paris. Grandma, Scarlett, Becca and Beth will visit next weekend. Everyone else will pop in when they can. Will and Caitlyn send their love, but this is their first peak season."

Kate breathed a sigh of relief. In her family, this was a small gathering. Her parents had clearly thought about not overwhelming her and had staggered everyone's visits. They had focused on the people closest to her. As her Godparents, Mandy and Adam were essentially a second set of parents, and their children, Aiden and Natalie, were among her closest friends. Natalie was a second sister, her best friend after Lettie. Aiden was best friends with her big brother, Will. He was also her personal trainer.

Aiden had dedicated his education to making Kate a better athlete. He had a Masters degree in Sports Science from Northumbria University and advanced qualifications in physiotherapy. Kate remembered her father mocking him when he received his acceptance at Northumbria. Her father had attended Newcastle and wondered why his Godson couldn't attend the 'proper university when it was only across the road. The truth was Northumbria was one of the pre-eminent sports universities in the country.

In just a few short years, he had become very successful in his own right. She had helped his career by tagging him in all her private workout videos and his gym was on the sponsors page of her personal website alongside her brother's safari company. He was in demand and had recently opened his own private centre. He had a select list of personal clients, but Kate remained his priority, updating and adjusting her training and working with the nutritionist on his staff to ensure she was well looked after. He didn't travel with her often, but they kept in constant contact, adjusting her training and diet according to how she felt.

Kate smiled at the thought of Aiden making dinner on the braai. She was her Daddy's girl. She loved the Botswana/South Africa version of a barbecue. Growing up, a braai meant family coming together and talking easily without burdens. She was surprised her dad was allowing him control over the tongs. That was a right he normally reserved for himself or her brother.

"Daddy, are you really letting Aiden touch your braai stand?" Kate teased.

"He's been training Aiden on the braai ever since Will moved to Botswana," Sarah interrupted, laughing. "He needs someone to banter with and criticise. This is the first time I think he's actually letting Aiden do it on his own."

Kate laughed and refastened her seatbelt as the captain announced they'd begun their descent.

Mandy met Kate at the door with a hug and helped her mother lead her to the kitchen, where her sister and Natalie were waiting. Kate accepted the hugs and whispers of support before her father led her to the patio table, where he poured her a glass of wine.

"I cleared it with your trainer," Mike said, nodding at Aidan. "I would've given you a Klippies, but he said no."

Kate laughed and waved at Aiden, who was talking with his father over the fire while the meat cooked. Over the next fifteen minutes, Kate gossiped with Lettie and Natalie while their mothers did the same inside under the guise of making the sides. Before long, everyone came together around the table as they had done hundreds, if not thousands, of times before. Once Mike declared Aiden's efforts on the braai as "passable" with a knowing smile, they ate.

No one mentioned her injury. It was just a night with some of the people she loved most. Perhaps a few were missing, but she would see them when she could. She was home, she wasn't a celebrity and an international tennis player. She was just Kate Smith, the daughter of Mike and Sarah Smith, and the sister of Lettie and Will.

She was so comfortable that she allowed herself to drink more wine than she normally allowed herself. She caught Aiden's eye as she topped up her glass. She expected a stern look from the man responsible for keeping her healthy and fit. Instead, she got a smile as he raised his beer bottle in toast to her. She smiled back at him before focusing on the wider table and the conversation.

"How are you, Kate?" Aiden asked, once the meal was over and their parents retreated inside. "The real answer, not the coached one."

"Honestly, it changes every day," Kate replied after taking a breath. "Today has been a good day, so I'm happy about that. Mostly, I'm scared. I'm scared the surgery won't be successful. I'm scared of getting injured again while I rehab."

Kate felt Lettie take her hand. Borrowing strength from her sister, she held back her tears and continued.

"I'm scared I won't be able to get back to who I was before. Nights are the worst. I think of all the things I missed so I could fulfil my dreams and all the sacrifices everyone made for me. Everyone has given up birthdays. Will and Lettie gave up holidays to follow me on the junior tour. If I don't make it back, those sacrifices will have been for nothing."

By the time she was finished, her tears were openly flowing. She closed her eyes as she felt Lettie and Natalie hug and soothe her. Her mother's voice brought her out of the reverie.

"It was never a sacrifice," Sarah said, taking Natalie's place beside her. "We knew exactly what we were doing. We were giving you a chance to live your dream. Even if you never play again, you lived your dream. You played the game you love at the highest level."

Kate buried herself in her mother's neck. Her dad's hugs were the best for security, but when it came to emotional comfort, it was always her mother. Kate felt the hug break, and her mother took her by the shoulders.

"You listen to me, Kate Smith; never feel guilty. Anything that we did was because we wanted to," Sarah told her firmly. "Put in the work, and you'll play again."

Kate felt emotionally wrought and asked for a cup of green tea before turning to Aiden.

"Can you help me to my room? With the wine I've had, I don't feel safe on the crutches; good night, everyone."

Aiden immediately got up and gently helped her to her feet, helping her with her crutches before guiding her to her father's office, which had a sofa bed until she could manage the stairs. Aiden helped her sit on the bed before sitting next to her. She looked into his eyes and saw love and sadness. She remained quiet as he brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Kate, Aunt Sarah is right," Aiden said softly. "I've been working on your rehab plan since you got the news. When you return to the court, I promise you'll be stronger than before."

His voice was gentle and reassuring, and she instinctively grabbed his hand. She felt him squeeze back.

"Thank you," Kate whispered.

"Get some sleep; everything will be okay, I promise," Aiden told her.

Kate was about to reply when her dad came into the room with her cup of tea.

"Here you go," he said, smiling at her. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow, the planning for Kate Smith 2.0 starts." He left the room with Aiden after a gentle kiss on her temple.

For the first time since the injury, Kate slept peacefully. Instead of her usual nightmares, she dreamed of the future. She saw herself back on a tennis court, surrounded by the tribe that made up her family in the stands. In her dream, she was at the top of her game, invincible.

The next few days were filled with hospital trips. Aiden came to all her appointments and asked questions about her recovery that she couldn't even think of. While Aiden asked about prehab protocols, she heard the risks and the long timeline for recovery. The dream she had seemed impossible. The surgery date was set, and her team announced it on her personal website and social media.

She checked in with Phoebe daily and was told she had a huge pile of well wishes from fans when she was ready to deal with them. She promised to start going through them after the surgery. She still wasn't ready to face the world properly. For the most part, aside from a large fruit basket that his assistant probably arranged, Damon ignored her. If she wasn't on the court and visible to the world, she was out of sight and mind to him. He had other clients who were out playing and earning.

Aiden worked with her for two hours daily to help her regain full range of motion in her knee as part of her prehab. For those two hours, she hated him for the first time in their lives. She cursed him as he worked her knee, questioning how someone who claimed to support her could be so sadistic.

"You'll love me again when this gets you back on court," Aiden laughed.

"Fuck off, Dyer," Kate snapped while letting him continue his torture.

The visits from her family helped. Kate knew they had their own lives and couldn't drop everything for her, but she appreciated that all of them made an effort. Her grandmothers visited the most. Being retired, they had the most time to keep her company. Individually, they were fine, but when they came together as a group, they overwhelmed her.

Once the conversations about her injury had been exhausted, they turned to her love life. At first, Kate tried to explain that her immediate focus was on her recovery. But when pushed, she pointed out that her life on tour wasn't exactly conducive to building romantic connections.

"You may not have been born one, but you are definitely a Smith, stubborn and always finding excuses to say no instead of reasons to say yes," Aunt Karen replied with a laugh. "Okay, prioritise getting through your surgery and rehab. The rest is nonsense. When you find your dream man, I hope you show more of your mother in you. Once she set her sights on him, no force on earth would have stopped her from being with him, and that's still the case today, all these years later. Caitlyn was the same with your brother."

Aunt Karen and Uncle Edward were another set of bonus grandparents. Her paternal grandfather had died before Will was born. Uncle Edward stepped into the gap left by his brother, and Aunt Karen joined Auntie Sharon as a bonus grandma, bringing Uncle Stuart along for the ride.

Kate frowned, "I hate it when you remind me I'm adopted."

"Why? Do you want to tell your father that your Grandma Amy is just his godmother? I know you aren't brave enough to tell her that Mike isn't her son, God knows I'm not," Karen said seriously before continuing. "Look at your Aunt Maggie. She's also adopted, but she's a Smith. You're a Smith, own it. You may not have been born one, but you can't escape it. You're your father's girl. In some ways, you're more like him and your grandfather than Will and Lettie will ever be. You get to take the best parts without that stoic curse, your dad, brother and the miserable man I'm married to suffer from. At least if you have sons, they won't have whatever gene it is that makes the Smith men emotional cripples."

Her father had often told her this after she had worked out she was adopted: She was her own special person; being a Smith was just a bonus. She thought about it. At no point in her life did she ever feel unloved or less than Will and Lettie. She thought about one of the family pictures she always kept with her. She and Lettie were two years old, both sleeping on their dad's chest after she had a nightmare. Aunt Karen was right; almost no one she considered family was actually related.

Having made her point, Karen moved on to her upcoming surgery. As a former nurse, she had her own insights. She listened sympathetically as Kate explained the surgery and the recovery time. They discussed Aiden's recovery plan for her.

"I need to have a word with that boy," Karen joked. "I need to make sure that his torturing my granddaughter is definitely going to get her back on tour."

Kate laughed, but it was a hollow laugh, and Karen noticed.

"I genuinely believe you're going to make it back. It's a good thing you have a rich dad because, at next year's Wimbledon, the entire horde you call family will be there to cheer you on, I promise."

"I really hope so, Aunt Karen. I might even chip in," Kate smiled, remembering her dream.

By the weekend before her surgery, Kate was back on her feet, and as long as she moved slowly and carefully, she no longer needed crutches or a cane to walk. She was going stir-crazy, having never really left the house except to go to the recovery pool. She missed practice, but going to the pool helped and made her feel like she was still active, even if all she did was walk in water and stretch afterwards.

Her mother sensed her restlessness. The Saturday before her surgery, she woke up late with a dark cloud hanging over her head, only to find her grandmothers, all her aunts, and Lettie and Natalie waiting for her.

"Get changed, dear. Ladies' day at the spa," Sarah told her. "Dad has given me his credit card, and we are not wasting this opportunity. When he looks at the bill, I want to give him a heart attack."

Lettie followed Kate to her room to help her change.

"Have you ever noticed that when Mum is about to spend a lot of money, it becomes Daddy's credit card and money, but every other day, it's just theirs?" Kate asked.

"She says it's to make him really scared of how much she's going to spend," Lettie said, sitting on the bed.

"Sometimes I wonder if they wind each other up just to keep life interesting. What are the boys doing while we spend "Daddy's" money?" Kate asked while she changed into a maxi dress that would hide her knee brace.

"Selection meeting at the pub," Lettie answered, rolling her eyes. "Dad was going to leave it up to Uncle Adam and Uncle Tom, but Mum insisted he go so we could have a day out before your surgery."

"That's why she wants to give him a heart attack," Kate laughed.

An hour later, the twelve ladies arrived at a five-star resort in the Oxfordshire countryside. The hostess led them through and explained all the amenities while Kate caught up with her Aunt Scarlett and cousin Lottie.

It was the first day in weeks that her injury didn't play on her mind. She allowed herself to be caught up in the activity and gossip of the day. She particularly enjoyed the massages; it was the first time she could remember having a massage for pleasure and relaxation rather than as part of treatment. She had such a good day that she put her own credit card on the line in the boutique and let everyone run wild before they left. She noticed that Lettie, Lottie and Natalie were having too much fun spending her money, but she ignored it. Instead, she turned to Scarlett and Becca and reminded them to get things for their other children. As she paid for everyone's purchases, Kate wondered which bill would give her father the heart attack: his credit card bill or hers?

On the way home, they stopped at the pub to break up the selection meeting. Kate knew it would cause trouble. However, she also knew it was a bit of theatre her mother liked playing to get some time with her father and reassert her place in his life.

Much like Kate had expected, the pub was busy and loud. Kate laughed as her mother walked straight past the booing men in the room, straight up to her father and kissed him deeply. She had seen it before. These meetings were little more than cover for a big drinking day ahead of a pub cricket match.

"Sorry, lads," Mike announced, breaking the kiss. "It appears my wife and her coven have declared the meeting over. See you at the game next week."

"Have a fun day?" Mike asked Kate quietly once they were settled in the beer garden.

"It was great, thank you. Please do me a favour and don't look at my credit card bill until they put me under," she replied.

The relaxing day out, followed by the family pub trip, was exactly what she needed. By the time she went under the knife, she had put most of her nerves to bed.

The initial signs were that the surgery was successful. She would have to wait two weeks for the swelling to go down for another scan. But in the meantime, all she could do was lie back and keep her leg raised. All she could do was lie there and watch TV. Everyone took turns to keep her company, but there was only so much to talk about when there was nothing for her to do except grumble about her discomfort, sort through fan mail and scroll social media. She was particularly grumpy because she was minimising her use of the prescribed painkillers. Painkillers addiction had secretly destroyed as more careers than steroids and more illicit substances.

A few days into her recovery, Wimbledon started. It was actually what she needed. In her mind, she should have been there. In fact, she should have been there despite her injury, schmoozing with sponsors and other contacts, but her dad had gotten her out of it by claiming it was too soon after her surgery. They weren't happy but didn't push the issue.

She worked out where she should have been in the draw and followed it religiously. It gave her a goal: She would get back out there. Every time someone she should have beaten made it to the next round, it added to her motivation to work out. Aiden had to hold her back a few times as he moved her from daily stretches to gently pedalling on an assisted stationary bike.

After four days of asking her to slow down and being ignored, Aiden got annoyed and moved her from working out her parents home gym to his centre.

"I'm a professional. I don't need supervision to work out," Kate complained.

"Then behave like one, and let the bike do the work for you," Aiden replied angrily. "All you're doing now is working towards reinjury. If you want to hurt yourself, fine, but I want nothing to do with it. You can find someone else to work with you."

"Are you threatening to drop me as a client?" she asked, surprised.

"Technically, you haven't been a client for two years. Check with your dad. I give you my time for free," he replied.

"But the training programmes, the training camps. The time you're committing me now. You're doing it for free? Why?" she asked, confused.

"You used your platform to help me build this business," Aiden shrugged. "It doesn't feel right to charge you."

"Is that it? No other reason?" Kate asked, feeling he was holding something back.

"No, I don't have another reason," Aiden said firmly. "So you can either listen to my advice and let me help you get back to where you need to be, or you can find a new PT. That will probably end your association with this gym since it won't be anyone on my staff."

"Just like that?" Kate asked, "I'm out of your life."

"Professionally? Yes," Aiden laughed. "Personally, I would never be able to kick you out of my life. Our families are too intertwined. I would just become another one of your supporters. Our mums might criticise me for not working with you anymore, but I'd just tell them that I didn't want to watch you get hurt again. So, are we doing this my way, or are you finding a new PT?"

Kate stared at him. This was one of the things that she appreciated about him. He was stubborn. He would stand up to her when no one else would. Maybe it was growing up together, but she had seen him do it with others. Knowing he would always stand up for what he believed in reassured her. He was one of her anchors to reality when she became a spoiled brat.

"We'll do it your way," Kate said meekly.

She knew she would give in to him. No one understood how to motivate her better than he did. The threat of dropping her as a client and the calm manner in which he did it were enough to make her think about what she had been doing. Not to mention the combined family reaction if she pushed him that far.

If she just spoke to him about pushing herself a bit harder, they'd collaborate to find a balance that would let her challenge herself without sacrificing her recovery.

The reality of being a professional athlete came to the fore as she started spending more time in the gym. Her dad had been keeping her sponsors and other stakeholders in her career at bay, but it was time to get back to work, which meant returning to social media. She had to remain visible to keep everyone happy.

Aiden knew the rules of the game they were playing. Even though she wasn't doing anything strenuous, he could stage workouts that allowed her to show off the new apparel she was being sent. She also had to promote her other sponsors. She had learned early on that she had to post enough personal content so she couldn't be accused of only posting ads. She had forgotten this part of the job. On the Tour, she was basically a walking advert since all she wore was tennis gear and her social media was just a tool to give a peak behind the curtain.

Kate started looking forward to seeing Aiden every day. It wasn't the training, but the little private moments they'd share during her rest periods or when he'd make her laugh to distract her from her ice bath. They had always gotten on well, but this felt different and more personal. Her entire future was in his hands, and she trusted him implicitly. It was a slice of normal life.

Despite the weight of her recovery, Kate loved being home for the events she normally missed. She joined in with birthday parties, the pub cricket matches, and even attended her mother's Coven days. She was particularly pleased to be there for her parents' wedding anniversary. They had two since they married once in England and once in Botswana. Kate always made sure to attend the first one. But she knew her mother prioritised the second anniversary, as it lined up with the anniversary of her parents' initial relationship.

She took great joy in planning the party with Lettie and covered the costs to make up for the years she had missed. They drafted Phobe's help to arrange the dinner for fifty people, as Kate wasn't a natural planner.

"It's got nothing to do with you not being a planner. It's because you're a spoiled tennis star whose entire life is planned for her," Lettie teased.

Kate blushed but laughed off the joke because she knew it was true deep down. Regardless, fighting back wouldn't have helped. Her siblings had made it clear early on that they retained the right to tease her no matter how famous or successful she became.

They managed to book the restaurant where their parents had their first official date for the party. It helped that they had become regulars as a family over the years. As she mingled around the party, surrounded by loved ones, Kate became increasingly aware of what she was missing in order to fulfil her dreams.

Lying in bed after the party, Kate ran over the events. She smiled, thinking about how happy she and Lettie had made their parents. She was surprised when Pheobe arranged for a video message from Will, who was busy with tourists in Botswana. She felt like it was a full sibling effort.

As her thoughts drifted to her parents' long marriage, she couldn't help but think about her own wish for someone to share her life with. Suddenly, her thoughts drifted to Aiden. Kate knew she was developing feelings for him, and they felt wrong. In many ways, he was basically her brother. He had always been a part of her life. He was her brother's best friend. They were basically raised together through their parents' close friendship. But she trusted him more than any other man except her father.

She had started noticing other things about him as they worked out together--his incredibly fit body, strong jawline, and piercing green eyes. His strong hands has he manipulated her knee's range of motion. He'd given her plenty of massage over the years, but they'd always been clinical, a means of recovery. Now she thought of how intimate his role in her life actually was.

Then there was the easy way he made her laugh and how comfortable she felt next to him. How easy it was for him to stand up to her when she was a brat when most people bent over backwards to accommodate her.

Her main goal was still to get back to the Tour. She still hadn't thought of a way to balance her life on tour and have the relationship she wanted. The Tour would always be her priority. She still had goals to accomplish. How could she be a wife and a mother if she could only spend a week or two a month at home for most of the year? Yes, there were new rules allowing women to take maternity breaks without losing their ranking. But she'd still be an absentee mother unless her family followed her, and that wasn't the life for a child.

But if there was a man who fit the profile of what she was looking for, it was Aiden. He'd also become her primary fantasy when she masturbated.

Instead of focusing on her emerging feelings for Aiden, Kate refocused on her recovery. It had been three months since her surgery, and it was time to ramp up her training. Aiden had progressed her to light weights and longer walks. She was even allowed to jog in the recovery pool. In the back of her mind, she knew the Australian Open was three months away. She knew it was unlikely, but there was a part of her that hoped Aiden would clear her to make her comeback. She wouldn't ask him because she was afraid of his denial.

Her tennis season typically ended with the US Open. With her rise up the rankings, she'd planned to include the Asian swing in her schedule and hopefully be an alternate for the Women's Finals, but her injury had stopped that. Usually, this would be the only real time she spent at home. It wasn't a real break, but the time she spent working on her public image, doing promotional work for her sponsors, and working with her equipment providers on the next season's releases.

As the chill of autumn set in, she normally followed her parents to Botswana and prepare for the Australian Open. Botswana was the perfect place to prepare for Australia; the heat was comparable and made the adjustment easier. Maybe it didn't have the facilities of more common preseason destinations like Miami or Dubai. But she was typically given access to courts at the national centre, and her preferred gyms generally had everything she needed. Whatever they didn't have, they were happy to import for her to maintain their connection with her brand.

Her parents moved for similar reasons; why spend months suffering through winter in England when they owned a house in Botswana? Kate liked the anonymity Botswana gave her. Outside of the small tennis community, no one knew who she was. It was another place where she just got to be Kate Smith.

As her parents' plans to leave for Botswana took shape, it was time to confront her immediate future.

"Kate?" Mike asked. "Are you coming to Botswana with us, or are you going to stay here and keep working out with Aiden?"

"I don't know," Kate admitted. "I haven't really spoken to him about when I'll be allowed to get back on court. I don't want to get my hopes up."

"Well, I'm not an expert," Mike laughed. "But I'm pretty certain Australia is too soon for you to play competitively, but you might be ready for some light tennis drills while we're in Botswana, and I'm sure you'd rather be in the sun than on a frigid indoor court. It would be good for you to go to Australia even if you don't play. Refamiliarise yourself with the environment. Do some networking, find a new coach?"

"Okay, Daddy," Kate smiled. "I'll talk to Aiden and see if he thinks that will work."

Kate didn't know how to bring up the arrangements with Aiden. Going to Botswana would only work if he came with her. He was still in charge of her recovery, and she knew herself well enough to know she would revert to trying to progress too quickly without his supervision. She also knew she couldn't put it off too long. He'd have to make his own arrangements to make sure his primary business was looked after in his absence. She finally brought the subject up while he was massaging and manipulating her knee after a training session.

"Aiden, do you think I'm going to be able to train in Botswana this year or is it too soon?" Kate asked, trying to ignore his touch.

"That's up to your doctor not me," Aiden smiled. "But based on your progress, I think we could introduce some light outdoor running and agility drills. If it was me I'd rather run in the sun of Botswana than Oxford in December."

"Really," Kate laughed. "You know how hot it gets. I only do it because it's great training for Australia."

"Look, you'll need to arrange another scan, and if your doc clears you, then yes, you can go," Aiden said.

"Will you come with us?" Kate asked.

"I guess," Aiden smiled sheepishly. "I mean it's our family's turn to join your parents for Christmas. I haven't seen Will and Caitlyn in ages, and I do deserve a holiday."

"What about the gym? Your other clients"

"I have a great team; my deputy will be the acting manager," Aiden replied easily. "I can do most of the paperwork online. I can always fly back within a day if there's an emergency."

Luckily for Kate, her scan with the doctor had shown enough improvement for her to begin running. She wasn't allowed to go on long endurance runs; instead, she was limited to light jogs with some interspersed walking. She was surprised when the doctor prescribed the Couch to 5K plan for her.

"I know you're a professional, and you'll find this pointless, but humour me and at least follow it for the first month," Dr Morgan said seriously. "You've been making good progress, but road running is different to walking on the treadmill or running in that fancy pool. After about two weeks of this, you can start doing some basic tennis drills as long as you limit your movement."

Buoyed by the news, Kate's thoughts turned not just to her return but to the additional time with Aiden in Botswana. The idea excited and worried Kate. It was one thing to manage her growing feelings for him while their interactions were limited to the professional or when other people surrounded them. It would be another to share space at her parents' house and deal with his constant presence.

Thankfully, a couple of days before they were due to fly out, her father had arranged some meetings for her in London with her equipment reps so she could order what she needed for Botswana. Using the opportunity, she arranged a dinner with Lettie for some 'sister time' to talk about Aiden before they left.

"So what's up?" Lettie asked as they settled into the Italian restaurant near her Notting Hill flat.

"Can't I just see my sister before I head to Botswana?" Kate asked while perusing the menu.

"Always, you're ninety per cent of the reason I have a two-bed, but normally we have pre-Botswana nights at Grandma's," Lettie quipped. "You coming here a day early tells me you want to talk. Is it about Aiden?"

"How did you know?" Kate asked.

"Because I'm your sister and you haven't been able to keep a secret from me since we were five," Lettie laughed. "You spend all your time with him, and when I've been home, I've noticed you watching him."

"I don't know Let," Kate said, putting her menu down. "I think I like him, I think about him in my spare time, and I don't know what to do next."

"So you arrange time with your non-monogamous sister?" Lettie asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Let! I need help, and you know more about relationships than pretty much everyone I know," Kate complained.

"No, Sis, I don't," Lettie corrected. "My relationships have no similarities to what you're asking. Mum is the one you need to talk to."

"Mum will tell me off for going after her godson," Kate replied.

"Maybe, but think about what we know," Lettie continued. "Aiden isn't a player, he doesn't go out every weekend bedding random women. He's deeply loyal; that sort of man is out of my range of expertise, so you need to talk to the most committed monogamous woman we know. Mum."

"I really hope that I'm this useless when you meet the man you want to commit to and need advice," Kate laughed, signalling the server.

"When I meet that man, Mum is the first person I'm talking to," Lettie replied. "Now let's be serious. I know you're a professional, but you framed this as sister night, so usual rules, tennis star is hibernating, and we get drunk?"

"Always, we just need to recover before we meet everyone at Grandma's tomorrow," Kate smiled.

"I know the rules, wouldn't want you getting in trouble," Lettie said with a mischievous grin.

By the time the main course arrived, Kate pushed thoughts of Aiden away and focused on being present for her sister, savouring the genuine connection that transcended their different lifestyles.

"Let," Kate said cautiously. "How did you realise you were non-monogamous? We grew up in the same house, and by your own admission, Mum and Dad might be the most monogamous people ever. How do you balance it?"

"I don't 'balance it'," Lettie said bluntly. "I juggle things that meet my needs. I love Mum and Dad, there's even a part of me that wants what they have. There's also the part of me that thinks they're liars and are secret swingers, given how close they are with Aunt Mandy, Uncle Adam, and the rest of them.

"Lettie, that's vile," Kate laughed.

I'm joking. What they have is unique to them," Lettie said earnestly. "But let's be real about what I have to offer. I'm a junior legal aid solicitor who's only able to afford my lifestyle and buy my flat because we have trust funds. Dad might call them starter funds, but let's be honest about what they are. They might not be enough to set us up for a glamorous life, but they help. I don't have the time for my career and to be an active partner. So, non-monogamy, we're all honest with each other. Some partners only exist to curl my toes, and others fill the emotional gap."

"God, I wish my life were as easy as yours," Kate smiled.

"Easy?" Lettie laughed. "Imagine having a pre-planned date with the partner that fills your emotional needs and getting a text from the one that makes you see God in the bedroom."

"Eew," Kate chuckled.

"You asked," Lettie replied.

Kate woke up feeling incredibly hungover. Physically, she regretted it, but mentally it was important to her. She had so few opportunities just to let go. Lettie had always been the person she'd turned to for normal experiences. Lettie's career might have been time-consuming, but she was more than happy to indulge Kate's occasional need for carefree, immature behaviour, staying up in their pyjamas, drinking wine and tequila and just gossiping. Even though Lettie joked about having a spare room for Kate, when they had these moments together, they inevitably ended up sharing a bed like they did as children. Enjoying the chance to reinforce the bond that they'd built from sharing the nursery as toddlers and arguing against being separated until Kate's tennis career took over.

While she waited for her sister to wake up, Kate slipped out of bed and poured herself a glass of water. She remembered Lettie shutting down a suitor who'd refused to believe they were sisters.

It was a regular occurrence given her adoption; she understood that people struggled to connect their lack of shared features and her sister's ambiguous mixed-race look with her fair skin tone and blonde hair. But she enjoyed Lettie's fierce protection of their bond.

Before heading to their grandmother's, Lettie insisted they stop at a breakfast café.

"You might treat your body like a temple, but the rest of us need bacon grease to recover from a hangover," Lettie laughed when Kate complained there was nothing but granola on the menu for her to eat.

By the time they made it to Twickenham, Lettie had convinced Kate to be cautiously proactive with Aiden.

"He's known you his entire life. He loves you too much, romantic or not, to reject you outright, and more importantly, Mum and Aunt Mandy will kill both of you if you don't manage this properly," Lettie said as they settled on the train. "Don't push too hard, but at the same time, if a good opportunity presents itself, don't let it pass."

Kate managed to follow Lettie's advice until they made it onto the plane. Most of it was easy; their long connection made things like the family night at her grandmother's easy. Even at the airport, it just felt like another family trip, with her father using Aiden as a replacement drinking buddy for her brother's absence while she walked the duty-free shops with her mother. It was on the plane that things changed.

Despite her status and her parents' wealth, her mother was strict about enforcing her rule of no business or first-class seats, preferring the premium economy cabin. Most people would see it as impractical given the difference in comfort. Her mum saw it as non-negotiable, so she could sleep beside her husband, something that lie-flat pods didn't allow on most airlines.

Sitting next to Aiden on the flight, she appreciated her mother's point of view. She still hadn't come to terms with her growing feelings for him, and he had shown no signs of reciprocating them. But she still took joy in just sitting next to him. When the cabin dimmed, and people started to recline their chairs to sleep, she took Aiden's hand and laid her head on his shoulder. She was surprised but remained quiet as he squeezed her hand before letting go and wrapping his arm around her to let her use him as a pillow for the eleven hour flight. She took in his scent and stretched to kiss his cheek before settling her head on his chest and falling asleep.

As was her habit, Kate skipped breakfast on the plane, choosing to wait until they were in Johannesburg airport, where she could pick a meal in the airport lounge that better suited her needs. Over breakfast, she caught her mum giving her several knowing looks. On the short commuter flight to their second home, Kate resolved to find time to get some motherly advice.