Her Swimmer

return

As the start of September 2016 rolled in, Talia returned from Australia, where she had spent time after the conclusion of the Olympics. Fresh off a successful run in the Games, she was eager to catch up with Lucy, who was now at camp preparing for the upcoming Euro qualifiers.

Talia hadn't seen Lucy since before the Olympics, and she was excited to surprise her. Lucy was more than just a friend—she was like an older sister to Talia, someone who had always been there for her since they met.

Talia messaged Mark, the head coach, to ask if she could visit, and he readily agreed, knowing how close the two were. With everything set, Talia made her way to the camp, her heart racing with anticipation.

As she arrived, the first person she ran into was Jill Scott. Jill immediately recognized her, breaking into a huge smile as she pulled Talia into a warm hug. "Talia! Look at you, Olympic champion! Congratulations on the medals—you were absolutely brilliant."

"Thanks, Jill," Talia replied, grinning widely. "It was an amazing experience."

Jill stepped back, still smiling. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be celebrating in Australia for a while longer."

Talia chuckled. "I'm here to surprise Lucy. I've missed her, and I thought it'd be fun to show up unannounced."

Jill's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, she's going to be over the moon! You know, she made us all watch every one of your races. She was so proud, cheering you on like crazy."

Talia's heart warmed at the thought of Lucy's support. "That sounds like her. I can't wait to see her."

Jill nodded enthusiastically. "She's in the lounge with some of the girls. She's going to lose it when she sees you."

Jill, grinning with excitement, decided to lead Talia to the lounge herself. As they approached, the sound of chatter and laughter drifted through the door, and Talia could feel her heart beating faster in anticipation.

Jill opened the door just enough to slip in first, holding a finger to her lips to signal for Talia to stay hidden for a moment. "Oi, Lucy, stop playing that game for a second," Jill called out, her tone teasing.

Lucy, who was deeply engrossed in a card game with a few of her teammates, looked up, confused. "Why? What's up, Jill?" she asked, clearly puzzled by the sudden interruption.

Jill just grinned mischievously, ignoring Lucy's question as she opened the door wider, revealing Talia standing there with a wide smile.

For a split second, Lucy's face was a mixture of confusion and disbelief, but then it lit up with pure joy as she recognized Talia. Without a second thought, Lucy jumped to her feet, sprinting full speed towards her.

"Talia!" she shouted, her voice full of excitement.

But as soon as Talia saw the look in Lucy's eyes, she knew what was coming. She turned on her heel and bolted, laughing as she ran. "Don't jump on me, Luce! We'll die!" she screamed, dodging out of the way.

The entire room erupted into laughter as they watched the two, Lucy chasing after Talia with playful determination. Despite her mock protests, Talia couldn't stop smiling, thrilled to be back with her "big sister" again. Finally, Lucy caught up, wrapping her arms around Talia in a tight hug that carried them both to the ground. Talia hit the floor with a thud, Lucy landing right on top of her.

"I told you!" Talia gasped, half-laughing, half-wincing from the impact.

But Lucy didn't care. She was too overwhelmed with joy to notice Talia's discomfort. "I've missed you so much, T!" she said, her voice brimming with emotion. "I'm so proud of you. You were incredible in Rio!"