Chapter 104: Hargrove Mansion

Wednesday, January 4th, Afternoon

It was early afternoon when the UBER dropped her off. At the gate, she inputted her access code in and the gates opened. In the chilly weather, she walked up the driveway to the house. Entering through the front door she took off her coat and hung it up, removing her knit what, which she put in the coat's pocket.

She walked into the parlor and found an older woman sitting there reading a book. With a smile, she took a seat near the older woman. The older woman looked up and shook her head.

"You still have that old shirt?" Karen Hargrove asked.

"Why not?" Angela Scott asked, her mom.

Karen sighed, "So, how is Clay?" she asked.

"He's good, and a bit paranoid," Angela said.

"He's always been a very nice man, what is making him paranoid?" Karen asked.

"Where I'm playing this coming season," Angela said.

"So, that brings us to the reason you went to the city today," Karen said.

"Yes, it does," Angela said.

"Am I going to have to ask?" Karen asked.

The maid came into the parlor and placed a cup and saucer on the table next to Angela. Angela looked up and smiled at the maid.

"Thanks, Keeleigh," Angela said.

"You're welcome, Ms. Scott," Keeleigh, the maid, said and left.

Angela picked up the cup and saucer and took a swing of the coffee in the cup. The magical liquid warmed her and was made just the way she liked it.

"Now that Keeleigh bought you a moment, are you going answer my question?" Karen asked.

"You want to know how our meeting went?" Angela asked.

"It's not polite to answer a question with a question," Karen said.

"Still being a mom, Mom?" Angela asked.

"Because I'm still your mom, no matter how old you are," Karen said.

"We had breakfast at the Pershing Square Café, and discussed the teams that are interested in my service," Angela said.

"So, what teams are they?" Karen asked.

"Atlanta wants me back," Angela said, "I guess they're regretting trading me."

"Do you want to go back to Atlanta?" Karen asked.

Angela shook her head, "No, Jessi's too old now, she's in a good school, which you're helping with, and has friends here. I told Clay, that I'm keeping Jessi here."

"So, Atlanta is out," Karen said.

"Yes, they're out," Angela said.

"So, where else?" Karen asked.

"Vegas, Chicago, New York of course, and another team," Angela said.

"New York is to be expected," Karen said.

Angela nodded, "Yeah," she said.

"Chicago would be nice you could play with Kay again," Karen said.

"I'm not going to Chicago, or Vegas," Angela said.

"So, who is the other team?" Karen asked.

"Connecticut," Angela said.

"That's interesting," Karen said, "What do you think about them?"

"I've never been there and don't know how they're run. Supposedly the new coach is interested in bringing me to the team," Angela said.

"What do you think about that?" Karen asked.

"I'm interested to hear them out, I have Clay setting up a meeting with them," Angela said.

Karen nodded, "It would be nice if you're playing in the state," she said.

"They're probably as far away as the Liberty," Angela said.

"But it's in the opposite direction," Karen said.

"With no commuter rail," Angela said.

"Car service," Karen said.

Two young girls walked into the Parlor, both were wearing a school uniform, and each had bookbags slung over their shoulder. Both were ten-years-old, one was blonde the other had brown hair.

"Hey Mom, Grandma," Jessica "Jess" Scott said.

"Jessi," Karen said.

"Jessi, I mean, Jess," Angela said.

"Grandma, please call me Jess," Jess said.

"Sorry, still getting used to it," Karen said.

Jess looked to Angela, "Mom, I thought you were going into the city today," she said.

"Jess, your grandma is talking to you," Angela said.

Jess sighed, and turned to Karen, "Sorry, Grandma, it's okay," she said, then turned back to Angela, "I thought you were going to the city today."

"I did, I just got back," Angela said.

"Did you use a car service?" Jess asked.

"No, I took the train," Angela said.

"How your car was here when I went to school," Jess said.

Angela chuckled, "Boy you're a nosey one," she said.

"Mom, you're meeting your agent," Jess said.

"That I was," Angela said.

"You're also a free agent," Jess said, "So, it does affect me."

Angela nodded, "That it does, we'll discuss it later, you have company," she said.

"I'd like to know now," Jess said.

Angela turned to the brown-haired girl, "Hi Tisha, how are you?" she asked.

"I'm good, Ms. Scott," Tisha Leavitt, one of Jess's classmates, said.

"Did you come over to find out about my trip to the city?" Angela asked.

Tisha shook her head, "No, we came to study and possibly play a little basketball," she said.

"Thanks, Tisha," Angela said, and turned to Jess, "We'll discuss what is going on after Tisha leaves, but before I go on my trip."

Jess sighed and rolled her eyes. Angela shook her head, isn't teenagers supposed to reach that way? Isn't Jess too young to be acting that way? Angela studied her daughter.

"Okay Mom," Jess said, and turned to Tisha, "C'mon Tisha let's get studying."

Tisha nodded, "The library?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jess said, and lead Tisha out of the Parlor.

Angela turned to Karen and shrugged, "I'm doomed."

Karen chuckles, "Welcome to teenage parenthood, Angela Baby," she said.

"She's only ten, Mom," Angela said.

"Teenage years aren't solely based on age," Karen said.

Angela shook her head, "I have to pack for my trip tomorrow," she said.

"Up early?" Karen asked.

Angela nodded, "Yeah, I also need a shower and get out of these clothes," she said.

"Wash the city off you?" Karen asked.

"Yeah, basically," Angela said.

"I'll have Keeleigh get you for dinner," Karen said.

Angela got up, took her cup and saucer and looked at her mom, "Thanks Mom," she said and left the parlor. When she got to her bedroom, she slipped off the button-down shirt. Her smartphone fell out of the shirt and bounced on the bed. Angela shook her head.

Just then the phone started to ring. Angela looked down and saw that Ashlyn was calling her. With a sigh, Angela reached down and picked up the phone.

"Hey Ash," Angela said.

"Hey, Angela do you have a moment to talk?" Ashlyn asked.

Angela sighed, "Yeah, I can," she said.

"I'm interrupting you," Ashlyn said.

"I was getting ready to get in the shower, I just got back from New York," Angela said.

"I can call back," Ashlyn said.

Angela sat down on the bed, "I'm good Ash, I can talk now," she said.

"Okay, well you know I work for your brother as an assistant coach as well as being a guidance counselor," Ashlyn said.

"I know, I brought you out to celebrate when he hired you," Angela said, "Get to the point, so, what's up?"

"They want to bring our championship team back to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of it," Ashlyn said.

"Fifteen years, that's an odd anniversary," Angela said.

"I guess because Brett is graduating and possibly leading us to another one," Ashlyn said.

"Okay, go on," Angela said.

"So, on the 31st of this month they want to get us together at halftime of the girls' basketball game to do something or another," Ashlyn said.

Angela nodded, "Interesting, it's kind of short notice," she said.

"We only found out yesterday," Ashlyn said.

"Do you want me to give you if I'm in or not?" Angela asked.

"Yes, that's why Coach had me call," Ashlyn said.

"I'll have to check with ESPN, but if I can I'm in," Angela said.

"Thanks, Angela," Ashlyn said.

"So, what else is bothering you?" Angela asked.

"What makes you ask that?" Ashlyn asked.

"I've known you how long?" Angela asked.

Ashlyn sighed, "I'm not sure, I want to share," she said.

"Why?" Angela asked.

"Because you tend to take her side," Ashlyn said.

"What did Brett do now?" Angela asked.

"We were arguing in the locker room during halftime at the last game in front of the team," Ashlyn said.

"Okay, Ash, Brett is wrong, you should know that first of all, and I'm probably going to hear from her soon enough. But how did you approach her?" Angela said.

"See, you're taking her side," Ashlyn said.

"No, I'm just asking how did you approach your daughter. Ash, I love you, but you can come off a bit strong, and Brett is just like you. Neither of you backs down when challenged," Angela said.

"Angela, I don't want to lose my daughter," Ashlyn said.

"You're not losing Brett, she's just growing up," Angela said, "Also you have Maeghan."

"It's not the same," Ashlyn said.

Angela nodded, "Hey, cheer up, I'll be down there with your goddaughter on the thirty-first," she said.

"Are you sure, what about ESPN?" Ashlyn asked.

"I have my ways," Angela said.

"Thanks, Angela," Ashlyn said.

"Where else would I be?" Angela asked.

"I'll see you then, let me know if anything changes, and go take your shower," Ashlyn said and hung up.

"I will," Angela said, but not fast enough for the disconnect.

Angela shook her head, she was going to have to talk to Brett, her goddaughter, and cousin through marriage. Ashlyn is married to Angela's cousin James. Brett was in a lot of ways her mom's daughter, a stubborn strong-willed and at times a downright scary person. They call Brett baby-bear because when angered they tend to take the qualities of an angry, she-bear.

Before Angela could even put her smartphone down it started vibrating again. She sighed and looked at the screen, speak of the devil.

"Hello Brett," Angela said.

"Auntie Tall, how are you?" Brett asked.

"I'm good, and your Mom already talked to me," Angela said.

"She started it," Brett said.

"Baby Girl, you're a team captain, you shouldn't argue with a coach in front of the team," Angela said.

"But Auntie Tall, she started it," Brett said.

"I don't care, in the locker room she's your coach, argue with them in private," Angela said.

Brett sighed.

"Brett, I just came back from a meeting and I need to shower. Can I talk to you later?" Angela said.

"Yeah, sure," Brett said, "I'll probably be too tired, Coach Scott is going to punish me at practice."

"Well I've been punished too," Angela said.

"I've heard," Brett said and hung up.

Angela shook her head, and finished getting undressed, and went to the bathroom to shower.