A blush warmed my cheek and I glanced away, tracing a line on his impeccable chest. “I should’ve come sooner. I should have come with you right away—”
But Kai was shaking his head. “I needed to get through those first rounds on my own. Keep my shit together for me. And for my Dad. I had to prove to myself I could do it.” His fingers stroked my cheek. “You came at just the right time. And I’m fucking proud of you, Daisy. For being brave enough to come here. To put up with me.” He leaned in to kiss me, his lips brushing mine with his next words. “But the absolute highlight of my day was what you said to me…”
“It’s true,” I whispered. “I’m falling in love with you. You don’t have to say it back or…”
His smile was brilliant and soft and so beautiful.
“Daisy…I’m already there.”
Daisy
London, England – All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club
“Do you see?” I said, pressing my cheek against my son’s chubby one. I pointed to Kai down on the court. Tears filled my eyes, turning my husband into a brown blur dressed all in white, holding a large silver blur in the air. I inhaled a shaky breath. “Do you see your Daddy? He just won Wimbledon.”
Oh my God, Kai just won Wimbledon.
Love and pride swelled my chest. Kai had worked so hard with his coach, had fought so many battles—on and off the court—to make it to this moment, on this brilliant afternoon in London.
Laki jabbed his finger to where I pointed. “Daddeee.”
“Yep, that’s him.”
I sniffed and looked over at Jason sitting beside me. Kai’s agent and Laki’s unofficial “Uncle Jay,” was dabbing his eyes. Antonia beside him, her hands pressed to her mouth, her eyes looking nowhere but at her son.
My mom and dad, sitting behind me in Kai’s box, were shaking hands with Coach Mike, and then Mom leaned over my shoulder to kiss my cheek. “So proud of him. And so happy for you, sweetie.”
“Than
ks, Mom.”
I thought back to how much my life had changed in the last three years. How one terrifying night had led to a lifetime of joy and love. My parents had beat themselves up with guilt for what had happened to me, no matter how much I told them not to. I was okay. More than okay. I rediscovered my power through Reiki and therapy, and had come to appreciate that horrifying night as something that shaped me, gave me strength, and set me on a path straight to Sikai Solomon.
The crowd quieted as the various ATP officials and the chairman of Wimbledon turned over the mic to Kai for a speech. In the last three years, he’d won tournaments, large and small, including the French Open, and the Australian Open twice more. But Wimbledon had eluded him until today.
“I’d like to thank my opponent,” Kai said, his voice booming through the stadium. “He’s played incredible tennis…he gave me the match of the century, and I just want to say that I have to credit him for not only pushing me to be a better player, but to be a better man.”
Kai—number three in the world—turned to his opponent who was now ranked number eight and gave him a tight smile.
“Thank you, Brad. For more than you know.”
My tears flowed freely, and I felt Jason’s hand take mine. Over the last three years, Brad Finn hadn’t shown any sign of becoming a “better man.” He continued to goad Kai whenever they met on the court, but my husband refused to let it get to him. Kai still played with his usual style and antics, and still spent more time arguing with chair umpires than Jason liked, but he never let his fire consume him, only fuel him.
That he hadn’t lost one match to Brad only made it sweeter.
After the applause quieted, Kai turned to us, in his box, and thanked his coach, Jason, and his mom for being there. Then I felt his eyes turn on me.
“Daisy…”
Kai’s voice cracked, and the sound of melting hearts ran through the crowd as heads turned to me.
“My wife,” Kai told the crowd, firming his voice. “Daisy, I reckon you must be tired, since you were with me on this court, every shot, every serve…” He put his hand over his heart. “I carry you with me everywhere I go.”
Murmurs and “awwwws” swept through the crowd. Laki squirmed in my arms as I hugged him tight.
Kai gestured to encompass the entire arena. “This is for you, Daisy. All of it. Anything you want. Because I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you believing in me when I didn’t. I love you, babe.”
I mouthed I love you too and blew him a kiss though I could hardly see with the tears in my eyes.