The Wait Is Over

Coming To A Decision

Shortly after the Washington Spirit arrive in Philadelphia ahead of their game with the Charge, the team hits the streets in search of the perfect meal for this evening. The atmosphere in training this week has been light but serious, with Lori and Sarah working on chemistry amidst the development of better transition play through Tori Huster and Meggie Dougherty Howard, who now are playing as a double-pivot in a 4-4-2 with Cheyna Williams and Mallory Pugh up top and Arielle Ship and Havana Solaun on the flanks. Joanna Lohman came in on Tuesday to direct some defensive drills aimed at increasing Kassey and Shelina's speed of play out of the back to Tori, Meggie, Jaelene, and Christen Westphal, along with getting Abby Smith more accustomed to playing the ball on the ground. Hopes are high that the Spirit can pick up three points tomorrow night and start their climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

Tori and Kassey are having dinner at Pat's and Geno's, a pair of legendary Philly Cheesesteak establishments. Tori is getting one at Pat's and Kassey at Geno's, which each of them will split and do a comparison.

Tori: I remembered that you're not a fan of onions, so I only got them on half the sandwich.

Kassey: And you're the weird one amongst us in that you'll eat cheese on pizza but don't like it on anything else, so I had them put it on only half of mine.

Tori: You know me so well.

Kassey: Well, we've been together in Washington for five years now, and then the two years at FSU, so I'd say I've got you figured out more or less.

Tori: So you like Kelsey, and she likes both of us, and I like both of you. How do we turn this into a full-on triad?

Kassey: Well, I didn't get much of a chance to bond with you during our time in school because you were two years ahead of me, whereas Kelsey redshirted and ended up in my class and was there with you your last three years, plus has been here with you longer. I DO like you, Tori, I just don't know if it's as strong as I feel for Kelsey or you feel for me.

Tori: What can I do to help you decipher that?

Kassey: Time. Now that it looks like we might be getting a coaching change in the near future, we can actually spend time together and not have to worry about what management will say.

Tori: Would you be comfortable with having possibly two girlfriends?

Kassey: I don't know yet. I haven't thought about what it would be like to be with both of you, since it's just this past week that I've even felt like I could be with ONE of you and keep my job.

Tori takes Kassey's hand in hers and looks into her eyes. "I'll do whatever I can to help you be able to make a decision. My heart is big enough to love both you and Kelsey, and I hope yours is big enough to love both of us as well."

Kassey blushes before responding. "I don't think it will take that long before I'll know one way or the other. Right now, I'm just a bit confused. Maybe we should get Kelsey into this discussion somehow and lay out how this could work. We'll have the international break to spend time together. Perhaps we should take a weekend trip away from DC, the three of us, and see what happens."

Tori: Sounds like an excellent idea.

***

Shelina and DiDi are at DiDi's apartment for a quiet night together, their first in a long time.

DiDi: How are things going in DC with the new management and with Jim off the bench the past two weeks?

Shelina: Things on the field are getting slightly better. Things in the locker room are much better. I was able to have coffee with Steph on Saturday morning and didn't feel like I had to look over my shoulder.