Ephiny continued to laugh as she leaned back from the slightly sticky bar table and back against the wall of their booth and slide her arm around Terries' shoulders. "Oh, fuck off, Xena," she stated, shaking her head as she took a drink of her beer.
"Yeah," Amarice seconded. "Nobody gives a shit what you told Hercules on his dumbass TV show. He just had to fill his once every seven weeks minute on women's soccer coverage. But we all know you are actually nervous about this game."
Xena huffed loudly into her beer. "Look I told all of you already. The breakup was amicable and now Lao Ma is just another opponent we have to face."
"Yeah?" Terries questioned. "And when you shake hands with her during the coin toss on Saturday?"
Xena glared at her. "I've been playing professionally since I was 15, I have a lot of history with a lot of players. She's just one more."
Epiphany shook her head. "Whatever you say, Xena."
"Thanks," Xena grumbled to her doorman a she walked into her apartment building alone after the night of drinks with her teammates.
Her phone began to ring as she rode the elevator up to her floor. It was Iolaus Hurst, who was basically the nice guy of all the men who professionally reported on women's soccer. He probably had real and legitimate questions to ask her about the upcoming game against China, the last friendly before the World Cup started in a few months. She let it go to voicemail.
The elevator stopped at the 17th floor of her building in downtown Chicago. She reached her apartment and unlocked the door. She walked through the dark hallway and living room and dropped down on the couch. She had barely decided if she was getting another drink or going straight to bed when her phone began buzzing again. Xena huffed down at the contact. It was the national team's general manager and head of public relations.
Xena reluctantly answered. "Yes, Aphrodite?"
"Oh good, you answered," the bubbly executive told her, sounding pleased.
"I'm required to, aren't I?"
"Well, sweetie you have been for years, but that has never stopped you before," Aphrodite stated.
Xena almost smiled. "Is this about something?"
Aphrodite took a deep breath. "Well yes, possibly," she informed her. "But I do not want to make it so, if you don't want to, sweetie?"
"The China game?" Xena questioned.
Aphrodite sighed. "Yes."
Xena exhaled deeply and peered from her position on her couch onto the wall above her strictly decorative fireplace. She had still not taken down the three photos that had been there for years. The first was of them both in their uniforms at one of the first United States-China games after they started dating. The second was of them with Lao Ma's son from her previous marriage, Ming Tien at one of his soccer games. The third was from their wedding five years ago.
"Look, Aphrodite," the U.S. star player began. "I know the divorce was only finalized a few months ago, but the whole process started almost a year ago. So, this is technically the third game we've played against each other since everything fell apart."
"I know that, sweetie," Aphrodite said cautiously. "But…"
"But," Xena stated, cutting her off.
"Your little cousin has been championing to do everything she can," Aphrodite informed her.
Xena scoffed. "The fuck has Eve been proposing?"
Aphrodite laughed. "I know it is common knowledge among us, but the general public…"
"No!" Xena called forcefully into the phone. "I don't want her doing that."
"Xena," Aphrodite stated seriously. "It is not as big of a deal anymore."
"No," Xena repeated. "If she and Varia feel ready to do that, I want it to be on their terms and for their reasons. I don't want it to be some distraction for my divorce matchup."
"Ohhh," Aphrodite called excitedly. "Star striker Xena Amphipolis of the United States versus the former Mrs. Xena of Amphipolis Lao Ma, the star striker of China. International soccer's first divorce matchup."
Xena huffed again. "Fuck off, Dite."
"Fine, fine," she replied with lighthearted seriously. "I'll do my job with the utmost professionalism and attempt to stop everything Iolaus and more importantly Hercules has to say about this."
"Thank you," Xena grumbled. "Who's calling this game?"
"Iolaus, but also Melosa Bruce."
"Well, that is not the worst," Xena stated.
"No. Do well in this game, sweetie. And then maybe I will never have to write about your love life again," Aphrodite proposed.
"Let's fucking hope so," Xena replied.
