"So you're on the bus right now?" Jo asks as she takes a deep breath, her laughter finally under control.
"Headed to Phoenix." Michael nods, wiping below his own eye as he chuckles one more time.
"So if we lose connection I'm not supposed to take it personally?" She cocks an eyebrow at him through the screen.
"Nope, though I'm hoping we don't, I feel like I haven't had the chance to talk to you like this in days. I miss you, Jo."
"I miss you too, I've got a couple hours until bus call for the game, so I'm happy to keep talking to you."
"I like that."
"I like that three weeks from tomorrow I'll get to see you." Jo bites her lip slightly, to hold in a large grin.
"I like that too." Michael chuckles, frowning as he hears a knock through his earbuds. "Whoever is interrupting our impromptu facetime date needs to leave until we are done." He pouts.
"It's probably a teammate, I'll send them away." Jo laughs, climbing off her chair to head to the hotel room door.
"You better, I am being selfish with my time with you today." Michael insists, as Jordan unlatches the top lock on the door.
"I'm okay with- dad?" Jordan is surprised to see the middle aged man standing in the hallway.
"Hi, Superstar!" Her dad grins, letting himself into her hotel room without being invited.
"I'm a little busy right now, dad. What are you doing in Minneapolis?" Jo sighs, running a hand through her hair as she shuts the door and turns to face him.
"End the call and spend some time with your old man, we haven't had any good talks this season without mom and Jackie around." Her dad waves off her comment.
"Jo, you can call me after the game." Michael speaks up, but when Jo lifts the phone she can read plainly in his eyes how much he doesn't like this interruption.
"Thanks, Michael. I'll call you tonight." She sighs.
"And I'll see you in twenty-two days, baby. Bye." Michael smiles sadly, ending the call.
"I thought I told you distractions were not what you needed right now, Jordan." Her dad is standing with his arms crossed over his chest as she looks up, slipping her phone into the pocket of her sweats.
"I'm not distracted, dad." She sighs, "Why are you even in Minnesota?"
"Can't a father visit his Superstar daughter? His pride and joy."
"Way to insinuate that Jackie is a disappointment to you, dad." Jo scoffs.
"Jackie and I are fine, Jordan, don't be dramatic. But you, you are my daughter through and through, and we need to discuss your season. I had to be back in Chicago so early this year, I didn't get the chance to help coach you through the first half of the season. I came up here today to spend some time together."
"What did you find out that you really want to discuss?" Jo asks almost angrily, dropping onto the bed.
"I called your coach in Istanbul to discuss when you would be most likely to return to Turkey in the fall, after the World Cup."
"Ah, ya. I'm not playing this offseason in Turkey, dad." She nods.
"Have you taken an offer somewhere else in the world then?"
"No, I am taking a few months off to let my body rest. I've been playing ball year round for as long as I can remember, I need a break. My body physically needs a break, and my mind mentally needs a break. So I'm taking a few months off as a break, and I'm going to spend that time with my boyfriend."
"This boy has changed you, Jordan, I don't like it. You used to live everyday to play basketball. Since you met this guy your stats have dropped, you aren't playing focused, and now you aren't going to play the off season in Turkey like you always do?"
"No I'm not." She sighs, "I'm on a dangerous track, dad. I have been playing non-stop for too long, I'm going to get hurt if I don't take a break, I can feel it."
"You're playing scared, Jordan. That is not how I raised you." He practically barks at her.
"I'm playing exhausted, because I am, dad! Don't you get that?" Jo stands, starting to pace, "Basketball has been the only thing in my life for over two decades. I love the game, you know that. I wouldn't be me without basketball, but I'm tired, dad! I need this break. If I don't take it I'm afraid of what could happen."
"You're making excuses! I did not raise you to make excuses, Jordan. You need to get your ass back on the court and play at the level I know you can. For the Aces, for Team USA, and for whichever team in Turkey will take you after you tell them you've reconsidered your little break."
"I'm not reconsidering the break, dad. It's happening, and I've already made that incredibly clear to you and to my team in Istanbul. I will be spending time with my boyfriend, and I will not be continuing to discuss this with you." She bites back. "I want to make you proud, dad. You know I want you to be proud of me and my abilities, but I've done enough. You should already be proud of me, for being drafted, for making Team USA over and over, for earning a place among the global elite in my sport, for being me."
"As your father I am proud of you, Jordan! How could you question that? You've made me so proud, you've lived up to your name, and you are a good basketball player. But as your agent, and in part as your father, I know how much your talent is worth, and if you take time off people may forget that. I can't let them forget that, you're worth a lot more than you're currently being paid, and we have to push that in their faces until they pay you more."
"More? Dad, I play women's basketball, and thanks to the systemic sexism in American sports that's not going to happen no matter how hard you push me. It's a group effort, and I'm never going to see the raise if I blow a knee or an ankle and become washed up."
"It also won't happen if you're off galavanting with this new boyfriend in your off season."
"I'm not going to tear my hamstring laying on a white sand beach beside him though. I'm much more likely to do that playing on exhausted legs. Dad, Michael isn't the cause of my exhaustion or drop in performance, it's a coincidence that he came into my life at the same time. Please stop blaming him for my failure this season, trust me it's my fault not his. I know I need to be better than I am right now, but I'm trying my hardest and the only thing I feel will actually help me is a break, my body needs it."
"Excuses. All of those are excuses. My daughter has played elite professional basketball for the last five years, around the clock, around the world. Then this year a guy walks in to distract you and you start talking about breaks, and exhaustion, and burn out. You're twenty-seven fucking years old, you're not burnt out. Look at Diana Tausari? Sue Bird? Candice Parker? You're nowhere near their age, or their capability, you need to be there now, you're young and talented. Lose the guy, get back to work, your career is in jeopardy."
"No, it's not. What's in jeopardy is your relationship with me, dad. Now get out of my hotel room, I have a game to prepare for."
"I'll be at the game tonight, Jordan, play like my daughter always has, I won't accept anything less." He states firmly before standing and leaving the room.
"Fuck!" Jo hisses, throwing the closest thing to her across the room harshly, watching as the pair of socks bounces off the wall, the action ending rather anticlimactic for her liking.
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Oop, dad is making trouble... What comes from this?
Things have been a little too friendly for my style, any predictions as to what's coming to change that?
Vote and comment!
I love you guys!!!
~M =)
YOU ARE READING
End Game
Fanfiction"Everything in my life has always been a game, a goal, or a distraction. So which one are you?" "A game." Michael answers confidently. "So the truth comes out..." Her tone quite clearly tells him how hurtful she found his response. "Let me finish...
