Made it home safe. Off to bed now. See you in the morning. Was the text Bailey received from Roy as she packed the last of her things and zipped up her suitcase. She thought about calling him then and asking him to come pick her back up, but Roy had done enough for her. He'd helped enough.
She went to the only place she could think of. The only other building she had a key to, the Club House at Nelson Road. Bailey had been numb the entire walk over, wondering what anyone still up at this hour thought of her dragging her little suitcase along behind her through the streets. She slipped inside. The place was as empty as she suspected it would be. Only once she was standing in the locker room did she allow herself to feel all the sour anger and bitter hurt she'd been pushing down.
Her feet were still strapped into the black heels Keeley had helped her select less than forty-eight hours ago. Bailey ripped the shoes off and tossed them to the floor. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing now. Her breathing became ragged. She should have call someone. She wanted to talk to someone, but who? Anna would be at work by now. It felt silly to interrupt her for something so small.
Keeley had probably already gone to bed for the night. She wasn't going to bother her. Keeley's own night had been just as bad if not worse than Bailey's. She laid down on the bench. It felt like someone had pressed a small stack of bricks on her chest but that was preferable to the uneven heave of her shoulders as she cried like a baby.
You just need sleep. She told yourself. Close your eyes and sleep. She insisted as if just saying it was enough to will it to happen. In the morning she'd figure out a plan. In the morning she would look for a new place to live. For now, just sleep. The tears continued to track down her cheek. She could feel them drop into her hair now. Stop crying. It was no use. She was thinking too many things. Feeling too many things.
Bailey rolled yourself off the bench once she cried yourself dry. She was emotionally drained but still couldn't force herself to sleep. She went to her suitcase and pulled out her pajamas. When changing into night clothes still didn't inspire sleep, she took to the workout room. Bailey hopped on the treadmill. She upped the speed faster and faster until her calves burned. She kept running until she thought she might seriously pass out. Finally, her body's need for rest outweighed her mind's need to relive the night over and over.
She laid down on the bench in front of the lockers closest to the door. She closed her eyes and slept for four hours. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. The crick in her neck and the pain in her shoulder were at least enough of a distraction from the fact that Ted would be there in a few short hours. She decided to shower quickly. None of the players would be just yet so you had plenty of time.
At seven AM Bailey was showered and dressed and sitting at her desk in front of her computer. A steaming cup of tea was getting cold by her elbow. The team had an away game coming up and there would be plenty of preparations she'd need to make in order to get all the moving pieces at A.F.C. Richmond where they needed to be and when. It wouldn't be amiss for anyone to see her already at the Club House working. As long as they didn't notice the suitcase lurking beside her legs.
Predictably, Roy was the first one to arrive that morning. He had a towel in his hand and was ready for his solitary shower before everyone else showed up. Bailey hoped he'd walk past the office, mumble his usual greeting, and continue on his way but he didn't. He stopped at the threshold. Of course. She sighed internally. He picks today to decide to be friendly.
"You look like shit." He said in lieu of a greeting.
"Morning to you too, Roy." She snorted.
"Sorry, you just look like you didn't get much sleep is all." He observed. "Why is your hair soaking wet? It's not raining."
"Figured I'd give the showers a try." She shrugged. "I heard great things about the water pressure."
"You showered here?" Roy looked scandalized. "Where's the gaffer?"
"Don't know." She answered reaching for your mug.
"Alright." Roy sighed. "You gonna tell me why you've got your suitcase under the desk, or have you got a cheeky answer for that too?"
"I-um…" but she couldn't think of something fast enough.
"Did he kick you out of his flat?" Any hint of amusement was gone from his voice.
"No. It was my choice to leave." She explained what happened after he dropped her off at Ted's last night.
"Hang on, you slept here?" He frowned and looked around the locker room. "What the fuck did you do that for?"
"It was one in the morning, and I had a key to the building." She tried to shrug it off, but the conversation had reignited the pain in your shoulder that She thought has disappeared after her hot shower.
"You've also got a cellphone." Roy barked. "Why didn't you call me?"
"I didn't want to bother you." she admitted.
"You wouldn't bother me, Bailey. It bothers me to know you slept on these sweaty benches all night." He told her.
"Well not all night. Just four hours." She said, turning her attention back to your computer. Roy mumbled a variety of swears under his breath.
"Mind if I look at your shoulder?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Are you a chiropractor, Roy?" Bailey teased and he reached her desk in only two long strides.
"You want help or not?" He snapped. He large hands already gripping her shoulders. Roy began massaging her shoulder trying to relieve the tension. "It wouldn't kill you to sit up straight either."
"Mmm-hmm." She acknowledged, relief already noticeable in your shoulder. She closed your eyes and let Roy do his thing. "How'd you get so good at this this?"
"Comes with the job. You get really good at knowing how muscles work." He answered. "Your options were this or an ice bath. Your hands are fucking cold as it is. Figured this was the best option."
Comes with the job. Bailey laughed at the idea of sour faced Roy Kent being in a massage train with a bunch of the players like a group of teenage theater students. When he asked what she was laughing about she told him. He lifted his hands off her shoulders and tossed his car keys on her desk.
"I'm going to my shower." He said walking towards the door.
"I'm not a valet, Kent!" She called after him. "I can't even legally drive in this country!"
"It's not to drive you, muppet." He laughed. "It's so you can put your luggage in the boot."
"Why would I do that?" She asked him.
"Because you don't want Lasso knowing you slept here last night, and because I'm not letting you sleep here again another night." He walked off towards the showers not leaving the subject open for debate. Bailey took Roy's keys and stashed her suitcase in his trunk. She'd just managed to secure the boot when Keely bounced over to her.
"Bailey! nice ride, babes." She smiled.
"Oh, it's Roy's." Bailey explained.
"Oh. Oh." Keeley smiled wickedly. "So, you and he…"
"Nothing like that." Bailey shook your head. "What brings you by so early? Jamie's not here yet."
"No, I know." She told her. "We broke up last night me and him. I'm just here to help him with this beer promo I put together for him. This is the last thing we're doing together. I'm done with him, and I mean it this time."
"Good for you." Bailey smiled.
"So, what were you doing in Roy's car then?" The two of them walked back into the Club House.
"Honestly, I should just get you and Roy together in a group text so I don't have to keep repeating myself." Bailey joked before telling a brief summary the events that happened since she'd last seen her.
"I'd invite you over to mine, but Jamie's still got a bunch of his shit there. He's swinging by later today. I'm sure you'd rather not having him poking 'round in your business." She said to her. "But maybe I can help you find your own place, yeah?"
"That sounds really nice." Bailey agreed.
"Great! I'll come by the office after Jamie and I finished our thing." Keeley walked towards the press conference room. She wanted to make sure the room was set up exactly how she wanted it.
Bailey returned to the locker room. Roy had finished his shower and was dressed in his Richmond kit. He was lacing up his boots when she handed him back his keys. She thanked him and told him what Keeley had said about finding her a place to live.
"You stay as long as you need." He invited. Players began trickling in after that. Then Nate arrived and started his usual routine of placing towels and water bottles at all the player's stations. Beard entered the locker room without Ted, who was probably upstairs with Rebecca.
"Bailey, missed you on the morning walk." Beard said as he entered the office.
"I don't think I'll be joining you for any more morning walks, Coach." She told Beard. Her eyes darted back to her monitor.
"That's what Ted said too." He replied. "Something I need to talk to him about?"
"Just making room for Michelle and Henry at the flat." She shrugged. "Figure it's about time I get my own place. Family first, Coach." She said calling back to something both coaches used to tell their players.
They'd taught their boys at the university that while football might be important to all of them, it wasn't the most important thing in life. Family, friends and being a good person matter more than any big win. Beard watched her for a few more minutes like he wasn't sure what to say next.
"You're his family too, Bailey." Beard said before cracking open the spine of the book on his desk.