Fallen Elements by Heather McVea Page B

Pagoda. The structure,
originally an observatory with its Japanese inspired aesthetic, was
actually modeled after Victoria style architecture prevalent during
its construction in 1890.
    Ryan thought of the park as an oasis, since
it was inspired by and modeled after New York City’s Central Park.
Whenever she visited, she always felt a little nostalgic for her
childhood and days in the park with Carol and her aunt.
    “Are you focused today, Myers?” Greg nudged
Ryan’s shoulder as they neared the sports fields.
    “Calm down. We’ve got this.” The truth was
Ryan was feeling off center. It wasn’t just thinking about her
family that left Ryan restless. To her surprise, she was actually
missing them – or at least, she was missing her cousin. But also,
she couldn’t stop thinking about Leah, who had agreed to attend the
game today.
    “Are you nervous?” Nicole looked
concerned.
    Ryan had told Nicole and Greg both about Leah
coming to the game. She had shared some of her feelings about the
woman with Nicole, though she had left the parts out about lust
fueled heat flashes and still not talking to the woman about her
history with the Myers family.
    “You’re attracted to her. What’s the
problem?” Nicole had asked over a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a cup
of coffee. The two women were sitting at their dining room table,
both still in their flannel pajamas Nicole’s mother had bought them
the Christmas before last.
    Ryan poured cream into her coffee. “No
problem. It’s just never going to happen.”
    “Because of the age thing? I thought people
were over that. I mean fourteen year olds look thirty, thirty year
olds are in wrinkle cream commercials, and obviously
forty-somethings can look thirty three.” Nicole gestured with her
spoon as if conducting a symphony.
    Ryan took a sip of her coffee. “I don’t care
about that.”
    “Then what is it?” Nicole had pressed.
    Recalling the conversation, Ryan looked down
at the ground shaking her head as they walked toward the sports
fields. The truth was, Leah didn’t seem all that interested in
anything more than friendship. Add to that the still outstanding
mystery of her relationship with Ryan’s mother, and the whole thing
seemed doomed from the start. “I’m not nervous. I just hope Leah
isn’t disappointed.”
    “Well you explained to her how this works,
right?” Greg was referencing the BSSC flag football divisions, and
the fact that even though they belonged to the Super Extreme Social
division, their game play was anything but super.
    “Yeah. I told her we’re essentially out here
to have a good time.” Hoping to spot Leah, Ryan began scanning the
fields and the few intermittently placed bleachers as they
approached the sports area.
    “Understatement.” Nicole laughed. “It’s the
perfect excuse for otherwise sane people to drink at ten in the
morning.”
    “I love me my day time drunks.” Greg chimed
in. Nicole laughed and Greg smiled, clearly pleased he had amused
the woman.
    “Greetings, fellow Fluffy Box of Kittens
teammates.” Philip Baird waved to the three as they began putting
their bags and water bottles down near the side of the field.
Philip was a British transplant, and had only been in the States
for a little over a year. He was in his mid-twenties, with curly
blond hair and a perfectly chiseled jaw line. Much to Nicole’s, and
most of the other women on the team’s chagrin, Philip was not only
a dedicated bachelor, but gay.
    “You think he’s really committed to that?”
Nicole had asked as they sat around Kislings after their first game
together.
    Ryan rolled her eyes at her roommate. “Are
you seriously asking me that question?”
    Nicole had sheepishly shrugged as she drank
her pint. “There’s such a thing as bisexual.”
    Ryan shook her head. “Then he would have
said, mates - I’m bisexual . But he said gay.”
    “Isn’t mates Australian?” Nicole had teased.
She had moved past her initial doubt and