I folded the note and stood up.
The locker room door opened and my father came rushing in.
“Madison,” he said.
“Just taking pictures,” I blurted out. “I love the locker room feel during different times.”
“Are you sure? Or is there something else going on?”
I swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not a fool, Madison. This has happened before, right?”
I felt all warmth exit my body instantly.
I swallowed even harder now.
I had two choices here.
Burst into tears.
Or yell that I had my period.
Or… burst into tears over my period…
“I think you’re making a mistake,” my father said.
“What if I know what I want now?” I asked.
“Look at the opportunity in front of you. I can get you involved in more.”
“What?”
“You don’t just have to take pictures of theApple Cats, Madison,” he said.
“Oh,” I said.
My father tilted his head. “Oh?”
“You know about the wedding,” I said.
“Of course I do,” he said. “Look, if you want to do that on the side and make extra money or appease whatever it is you feel you need to do, who am I to get in the way, right? But if you’re thinking for a second you’re going to quit this job and do that full-time on your own? I think you need to have a long talk with yourself.”
Before I could respond, my father held out his right hand.
Which was cue forI’m not done talking.
“I sound harsh. I sound mean. I just know what it takes to survive in a tough world. That’s all I want for you. Speaking as your father. Now speaking as your boss, you need to get out on that ice and take some pictures.”
He then offered me the classicAlonso smile.
He opened the locker room door and waited for me to exit.
That was just the beginning of the crappiest night of my life.
I waited in the hallway.
Nervous.