CHAPTER TEN- COACH COMES THROUGH
 "Megan O'Connor, please report to Court 7 immediately. Megan O'Connor, to Court 7 immediately."
Sebastien paced the player's area as Coach Gunnerson peeked out onto the court once more. "Where IS she?"
"Be patient Mr. Dubé…she may be dealing with some nerves," said Coach Gunnerson.
"She can't miss this game though! What if something happened to her? What if she's hurt?" Sebastien worried.
"I'm sure she is aware of that. She'll show up, O'Connor wouldn't miss out on this," assured Gunns.
"Where did she go, anyways?"
"I'm not quite sure. She said she was going to check the standings, but then she disappeared," explained Coach Gunnerson.
"She could be in danger." Sebastien seemed to jump up, even though he was already standing. "I'm going to go look for her."
A voice came out from a hallway to the left of Sebastien and Coach Gunnerson. "There's no need. I'm here."
"O'Connor! Get out there, you're going to miss your game!" yelled Gunns.
"Sorry sir! I got lost."
"No time for explanations Megs! Go uhh…kick butt! I'll be watching, love," said Sebastien.
Megan waved good-bye as she ran onto the court, 10 minutes late for her match.
"O'Connor vs. Mishna. Service, Ms. Mishna."
Although Megan was extremely nervous, it was obvious that Ekaterina Mishna was definitely more so. She shook before sending the ball spiralling away from the service box.
"Out!" Ekaterina looked out into the stands, and sent the ball hesitatingly across the net. Megan slammed it back to her, and couldn't resist a tiny smile.
Sebastien grinned back at her and turned to Gunns. "How did Mishna get to the quarter-finals?"
"She had an easy opponent in the first round. Make no mistake- Mishna is a wonderful player, but she has severe anxiety problems. Last year, she almost won the whole Hamstead Tournament- in the finals, she collapsed during the last set. The doctors diagnosed her with anxiety and recommended she play the game on a recreational level. Her parents and her coach refused, saying she had too much talent to waste on nerves," explained Coach Gunnerson.
"How do you know all this?" asked Sebastien.
"Her coach was my friend. After Ekaterina was diagnosed, we had a huge argument about her career. I thought she should stop, lest things get worse. Her mental problems were putting a huge amount of stress on her, which translated to physical pain and suffering for her. Ekaterina didn't need to play- she could stop right this moment, and still have a home to go to."
At Gunnerson's words, Sebastien turned. "Unlike Megan."
Gunnerson looked toward the battle on court. "Yes. Unlike Megan."
"Are you trying to tell me something here, coach?" suggested Sebastien.
"I think tennis, is the root of Megan's troubles. And yours," said Coach Gunnerson heavily.
"Tennis? Tennis is solving our problems! Without it, I'd still be in France, probably in the streets. And Megan would have no chance of regaining her family."
"And yet, Megan wouldn't have lost her family if she hadn't played," said the coach.
"Stopping tennis wouldn't have saved my mother," said Sebastien bitterly.
"No- but after she was taken from you, you moved to Canada. So you could play, and save your family from the streets. It's placed a rather large burden on you, don't you think? Especially without having had the chance to grieve your mother's death," said Coach Gunnerson.
"And Megan?"
"Megan doesn't seem to express herself much, Mr Dubé." He paused. "Do you agree?"
Sebastien nodded.
"I think…" and he struggled with this part. "That all the pain she's hiding- the need to play for something more than recreation is coming out in quite unsatisfactory ways."
"What kind of ways?" asked Sebastien nervously.
"Physical ways. Her spasms seem to be her version of Ekaterina's collapse. I believe…if she cannot deal with her anxiety, they'll get worse."
"How do we do that?"
"We can't. Her anxiety stems from her family, which I know at the moment to be very against talking. At the moment, I don't see a way out…" Coach Gunnerson sighed. "And as a coach, I don't know how to fix this."
Sebastien was now weeping quiet tears of distress. "You have to coach…I can't lose her again!"
"Lose whom"
"The woman I love." He turned towards the court, and through his tears, felt his heart break as Megan pounded it out.
"Don't worry Sebastien…we'll find a way."
"How?"
"I'm not sure. In Ekaterina's case, the answer was clear. Tennis was hurting more than helping her. In Megan's case- it's hurting her and yet…if she stops playing she'll lose her family. And that will hurt her more." Coach Gunnerson looked out at the court. "I just don't know what to do."
"Match point for Ms. O'Connor."
Sebastien and Coach Gunnerson both looked up, surprised. Sebastien hastily wiped away his tears and gave her a thumbs up as she readied herself for Ekaterina's serve. Sebastien whispered to himself, "We'll find a way, Megs. There's no way I'm letting you go."
Coach Gunnerson heard his whispered vow and his heart sunk as he realized, for this first time in his coaching career, he didn't know how to help his students.
"Match, Ms. O'Connor. Megan O'Connor will be advancing to the semi-finals on Thursday of this week."
Megan ran over to Sebastien and Coach Gunnerson, hugging Sebastien in all her glory. She took a step back. "Seb…are you okay?" She gently caressed his face as he nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just…need a moment." He ran away and Coach Gunnerson joined Megan on the court. They gathered her things, and for the second time, ran off the court.
They found him waiting for her. "What's wrong Seb?" asked Megan.
He took a deep breath. "You have to stop playing tennis, Megan."