Tracy walks through the door the apartment. She puts her book bag and purse on the coat rack. She heads to the kitchen. Antonio is sitting at the table writing a shopping list to prepare dinner for them tonight. Tracy sits down next to him. He hears the car keys clank against the top of the table. He stops writing and looks to his left.
"Hey sweetie how was class?" He asks.
"I might tell you if give me a shoulder massage. My shoulders are killing me from carrying my book bag on my back all day." She answers.
Antonio chuckles and gets out of his chair. He gets behind Tracy and starts to rub her shoulders. Ten minutes later he finishes the massage.
"Antonio to answer your question my day was great. I have some good news. You get to meet the rest of my family in October." Tracy says.
"What's the occasion?"
"My cousin Rosalinda is getting married. The wedding will be at my uncle Darrel's farm." She answers.
"That sounds like fun. I'm going to make seafood couscous paella for dinner."
"That sounds delicious. We don't have all the ingredients here do we?" She asks.
"No, I'm heading to the store in a bit."
Tracy gives him a thank you kiss. Then she heads to the master bedroom and Antonio heads to the store. Tracy walks in the room. She goes over to the closet. She changes into a pair of jean shorts, a ruffled silver t-shirt, and a pair of flip flops. She finds her old duffel bag from school and puts all her swim gear into it. She heads back out to the 2012 Dodge Charger and puts the bag into it. Then she goes back in the apartment. Antonio gets back from the store twenty minutes later. He heads to the kitchen to make dinner.
Tracy is in the living room watching The Doctors. Thirty five minutes later she smells a delicious sent coming from the kitchen. She turns off the TV and heads into the kitchen. Tracy gets the plates and cups to set the table. Antonio carries the pot with the couscous over to the table and sets it down. He goes to the fridge and gets out a pitcher of lemonade. He walks back over to the table and sets the pitcher down. They pour their drinks, fill their plates, and sit down. Antonio asks her again about her day. She tells him everything but Joshua in between bites. They finish dinner ten minutes later.
"Don't worry my little angel fish, I'll do the dishes. You look beat." Antonio says.
"Thank you my golden knight. A twenty minute nap sounds good to me." Tracy says.
"Where are you planning on taking this nap?"
"The living room," She answers.
Tracy leaves the kitchen. She walks into living room, goes over to the couch. She sits down on it. She takes off her glasses and sets them on the coffee table. She takes the blanket off the top right corner of the couch, unfolds it, and drapes it over her. She stretches her body out slowly onto it. When her head hits the pillow she falls asleep a few seconds later. Ten minutes later she starts to dream about her wedding. The mariachi band is playing contigo aprendío finishes putting the dishes in the dishwasher. He turns it on and leaves the kitchen. He walks into the living room. He goes over the couch, looks down at his sleeping fiancée with a smile on her face. In Tracy's dream, they said I do.
"Now by the power vested in me by the state of California. I may now pronounce you man and wife. You may wake up." the priest says.
"I think you are supposed to say you may kiss the bride." Tracy says.
Back in reality, Antonio shakes Tracy gently. "Tracy, wake up." He says.
"Wait you still have to say you may kiss the bride." Tracy says, as she quickly sits up.
"Tracy, you were dreaming about our wedding weren't you?"
Tracy looks over at him. "Yes, you couldn't have given me one more minute." She answers.
"I'm curious who was at this wedding?"
"Our families of course and a mariachi band." she answers
. "That sounds nice."
"What time is it anyway?" She asks.
"5:45"
"Can't I have five more minutes?" She asks.
.Antonio shakes his head no. Tracy stretches and gets off the couch. They head out to the car to head to the pool. They get to the pool an hour later. Tracy heads to the locker room to change. Her fellow teammates walk up to her. Grace notices that she looks beat.
"Tracy, are you sure that you can this?" Grace asks.
Tracy tells her yes and leaves to change into her suit. She comes out of the locker room five minutes later. Lauri walks up to her.
"Just remember Monroe High is going to win first place." She says.
"You know this is just a race to raise money for the animal shelter." Tracy says.
"Yes, but I want my picture in the paper." Lauri says.
Tracy hears coach Sheppard blow her whistle to tell her come over. She wishes her good luck and heads over to her team.
"What did Lauri want?" Grace asks.
"She told me that Monroe High is going to win. Apparently she wants her picture in the paper." Tracy answers.
"This is just a charity race." Desiree says.
"Yeah, all that really matters is raising money for the animal shelter." Tracy says.
"How does this work anyway?" Jasmine asks.
The teams' total time in each event will be added together. Then the team with the slowest total time after the medley relay will win the check for $110,000 to give to the Paradorma city animal shelter." coach Sheppard says.
"Wow, that's enough money to renovate the shelter and then some." Tracy says.
Coach Sheppard nods and tells the girls which event they'll be doing. Grace has the 100-meter Free. Desiree has the 100-meter back. Jasmine has the 100-meter breast. Tracy has the 100-meter fly. The meet start ten minutes later and the teams are announced.
The Jefferson High team is Tracy, Grace, Desiree, and Jasmine. Monroe High Lauri, Jacklyn, Janine, Buelah. Airport High Franny, Charity, Lola, Natalie. Franny has gray eye, coffee-colored hair, and an angular build and cream-colored skin. Charity has blue eyes, brown hair, leggy build and light-colored skin. Lola has eyes the color of burnished iron, brown hair, a lithe build and cream colored skin. Natalie has sapphire eyes, black hair, a wasp-waisted build and dark skin. The Saint Mary Catholic Central team is Crystal, Lila, Gabrielle, and Pearl. Crystal has violet eyes, has hair the color of the midnight sky, narrow build and light-colored skin. Lila has green eye, red hair, and ruddy skin. Gabrielle has beady blue eyes, milk chocolate colored hair, busty build, and pale skin. Pearl has large blue eyes, sand-colored hair, narrow build and tanned skin.
The first event is the 100 meter free. Grace, Jacklyn, Lola, and Crystal line up on the starting blocks. The official started the race. The results were as follows Jacklyn 54:46, Grace 54:45, Lola 56:59, and Crystal 58:37. The second race was the 100 meter breast. The racers are Jasmine, Franny, Janine, and Lola. The times for this race are Jasmine 1:08.59. Janine 1:09.06, Franny 1:09.18, and Lola 1:09.22. The results for the 100 meter backstroke are Desiree 1:01.51, Buelah 1:01.97, and Charity 1:02.15, Pearl 1:04.27. The results for the 100 meter fly are Tracy 59.67, Lauri 59:68, Natalie 1:00.07, and Gabrielle 1:00.26.
After that race the official told everyone that there would be a short twenty minute break to give the team a chance to catch their breath before the medley. Tracy goes over to the bench to get her glasses and a towel. Tracy dries her face off and puts her glasses on her face. Then she dries the rest of her body off and drapes the towel over her shoulders. She looks to her left and sees Antonio coming over to her and the team.
"Hey sweetie, how about I buy you and the team a little snack?" he asks.
"I don't know Tony." Tracy answers.
"Come on torpedo, he just being nice." Grace says.
"I know Grace. We do need to refuel before the last event." Tracy says.
Grace asks if that means what she thinks it means. Tracy says yes and they head out to grab a snack. They enter the concession area and see all the others teams and coaches and everyone else for that matter. Antonio and the girls head over to the smoothie store.
Grace orders a banana smoothie. Desiree orders a strawberry smoothie. Jasmine orders a blueberry smoothie. Tracy orders a strawberry banana smoothie. Antonio pays for them. The girls wait patiently for the worker to make their smoothies. Meanwhile at the pool, Lauri is up to no good again. She sets up another trap. This one is rigged to go off only when Tracy's foot hits it. The trap is a set a pool weights tied to some fishing line.
Tracy, I told you that Monroe High is going to win didn't I? Amber thought.
Everyone head back to the pool. Tracy and her fellow teammates set their smoothies down on the bench. Tracy takes off her glasses again and puts them in the glass case. The teams get in position to get ready for the relay. The official signals for the race to start a few seconds later. Jasmine is in the lead when she gets back to the starting block and touches the wall. Tracy dives in.
"Wow, I think she is going faster than usual." Desiree says.
"You're right Desiree, why is she pushing herself so hard?" Jasmine asks.
"I think she doesn't want to let us down." Grace says.
Tracy gets to the other side five seconds faster than her normal time. Her right foot gets caught in Lauri's trap. The fishing line wasn't strong enough and snaps as Tracy pushes off. While she is swimming back towards her teammates the line digs into her skin. The chlorine in the water causes the open cut from the line to sting. Tracy ignores the pain and finishes her lap. Desiree and Jasmine help Tracy out and Grace dives in. The girls see the fishing line wrapped around Tracy's ankle.
"Tracy, are you ok?" Desiree asks.
"My ankle is wrapped up in fishing line. It also stings to high heaven. No I'm not ok." Tracy answers.
They help her back over to the bench. Antonio gets out of his seat and heads over to the bench. The official standing at the bottom of the stands stops him.
"I'm sorry sir no spectators are allowed near the pool while the race is in progress." The official says.
You don't understand my fiancé is the injured swimmer. "Antonio says.
The official sees the concerned look in Antonio's eyes. The official moves aside to let him go by. Antonio gets to the bench just as the girls get to it as well. Coach Sheppard and Antonio get a look at it themselves. The line dug really deep into the skin. Sheppard waves to one the medics. The medic has large eyes the color of turquoises and neck-length silky, straight, black hair, a feminine build and cream-colored skin. The medic does a quick exam.
"I think it would be a good idea to go to the hospital. I think you need to have a doctor remove it." the medic says.
Coach Sheppard tells Desiree to go get the rest of Tracy's gear from her locker. She nods and leaves to gather the rest of Tracy's things. Desiree comes back with Tracy gear.
"I'm sorry coach." Tracy says.
"You have nothing to apologize for Tracy. You were just doing your best like always." Coach Sheppard tells her.
Tracy wraps another towel around her body. Antonio helps her back out to the car. The medic follows with the rest of Tracy's things. Antonio opens the car door for her. Tracy sits down and winces in pain slightly as her right foot touches the floor of the car. The medic hand Tracy her things and heads back inside. Antonio closes the door. He walks around the front of the car and gets in. He starts the car. The drive to the hospital was filled with silence.
I can't believe that Lauri would do this. It was just a charity race. Tracy thought.
They get the hospital twenty minutes later. Antonio helps her into the ER. The good thing was that is wasn't too busy. A nurse with droopy brown eyes that are like two tiger-eye gems and neck-length thick, wavy, obsidian hair and a doctor with narrow sapphire eyes. His thick, wavy, yellowed ivory hair walk up to them.
"Hi I'm Dr. Heath and this is nurse Susie Clements." Dr. Heath says.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Antonio and this is my fiancée Tracy. She got hurt during the charity race at the pool tonight." Antonio says.
"Susie, can you help Tracy to my office? Antonio I need you to fill out a few forms." Dr. Heath says.
Susie nods and help Tracy back to Dr. Heath office. Dr. Heath and Antonio go the reception desk and the nurse working there gives him the forms. After Antonio finishes filling out the form they head to Dr. Heath office. They get to the just as Susie is finishing up Tracy's pre exam. Antonio sits down on the chair up against the wall closest to the door. Dr. Heath walks over to exam table. He sees how deep in fishing line as dug into Tracy's skin. He asks Tracy how this happened. Tracy tells him that one of the other competitors in the race wanted to win so bad that she set a trap for her.
"I don't mean to sound rude but this hurts like hell. Can you take it out please?" Tracy asks.
"I would do it right now but it's buried really deep into the skin." Dr. Heath answers.
"How are you going to take it out?" Antonio asks.
"I think the safest way would be to have it surgical removed to make sure that there is no other damage to muscles or the nerves in her ankle." Dr. Heath answers.
"Are you sure about this doc?" Tracy answers.
"Yes, Tracy I am." Dr. Health answers.
Dr. Heath asks Susie to take Tracy away to prep her for surgery. Susie nods and helps Tracy out of the room. Antonio walks into the waiting room to call Jayden.
"Hey buddy, where are you?" Jayden asks.
"I'm at the hospital." He answers.
"What happened? Is Tracy ok?" Jayden asks.
"She's going to be fine. One of the competitors at the race set up a trap using fishing line as string and it dug really deep into her skin. She is going into surgery right now." he answers.
"That's terrible and wasn't the race for charity." Jayden says.
"Yes" he says.
Jayden asks Antonio if he wants to stay at the Shiba house tonight since it was closer to the hospital than their apartment.
That sounds good Jay and thanks." he says.
They talk for a few more minutes before the battery in Antonio phone dies. He puts it back in his pocket. Then he walks over to a chair and sits down to wait for the Dr. Heath to come out. Twenty five minutes later Dr. Heath and Nurse Susie come out. Antonio walks over to him.
"The surgery went well. She'll just have to take it easy for a few days." Dr. Heath says.
"Will she have to come back to have the stitches taken out?" Antonio asks.
"No we used the kind that fades away as the area heals." Dr. Heath answers.
Dr. Heath tells him that Tracy should be awake so he can go see her. Antonio thanks him and Susie shows him to Tracy's room. Antonio sees Tracy's swim team standing outside the door to the room as well. They walk in the room. Antonio sees a sad look in Tracy's eyes. He goes over to the bed and fixes her hair.
"What's wrong sweetie?" he asks.
"It's just that Lauri cheated again. I'm pretty sure that her team still won." Tracy says.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that torpedo." Desiree says.
"Hey dolphin, what are you doing here? What about the race?" Tracy asks.
"I'll answer the seconds question first. The race ended about thirty minutes ago and we won. As for why we are here we were worried about you." Desiree answers.
"Thanks for your concern guys I appreciate it. How did we win? I thought are total time was slower than Monroe high." Tracy says.
"Our total time was two whole seconds faster than Monroe High." Desiree says.
"That's great dolphin." Tracy says.
A few seconds later the newspaper comes with the check for the animal shelter. Desiree tells the reporter to let Tracy hold the check. The reporter walks over to the bed and hands Tracy the check. The others girls gather around the bed. Antonio moves away so he isn't in the shot. The reporter gets into position and takes the picture. Then the newspaper leaves the room. After they leave Antonio notices that Tracy is fighting to keep her eyes open.
"Girls, I think we should leave now so she can rest." Antonio says. The girls look back over at Tracy. They notice the same thing he did and say good bye. Antonio goes back over to the bed. He kisses her on the forehead. Then he tells her that he'll be back tomorrow to pick her up
"Ok my golden knight you'll know where to find me." Tracy jokes.
Antonio chuckles as he is leaving the room. He watches Tracy slowly drift to sleep.
Sleep well my little angel fish. You've had a crazy day. Antonio thought.