Dana loved teaching Alice, she was not bored at all She felt calmer about her aging: she could do this after her jubilee.

“OK OK We don’t have time & I’m not going to play in a tournament. Just show me the reverse shoot” Alice demanded breathless.

“You mean backhand shoots I don’t think you’re still good enough with forehand shoots. I mean, come on! You’ve only been served with a certain speed, not to mention that it was below average”

She smirked & fixed the machine for backhand shoots.

Alice was definitely better at backhand shoots. Dana even changed the ball speed higher and Alice was still good at receiving them.

Dana showed the volley shoots & let Alice practice it a little while. When the machine emptied the whole balls which were more than 150, Dana showed Alice how to serve. Of course serving was the most difficult thing for a beginner so they did not spend a lot of time on it.

Alice went to sit on the bank & drank the content of the bottle which she disgusted in the first place. That fluid -whatever that was- felt heavenly.

Dana was tired also because she hit all the balls in synch with Alice, only with invisible balls. She started to pick the balls laid everywhere to put them onto the machines basket. After most of the balls were put in place, “Come on Alice. Let’s do the real thing now.” Dana shouted.

“Have mercy, promise?” Alice asked gently while walking towards her side.

They played together what felt like forever. Dana was really taking this seriously; she often stopped the game to critize the shot or give an advice.

When Alice mishit a forehand shoot, Dana could not take it anymore. “I cannot understand, you’re not a lefty, how come your backhands are near perfect & your forehands – excuse me but – suck?”

“Hey I’m not a pro remember & I’m done. Thank you. Let’s call it a night!!!” Alice protested.

Dana ran all the way from her side. “Look at my movement, Al. You somehow loose the grip and mislead the angle. See, you have to do it like this.” She moved her body as if making a forehand shoot.

“Like this?” Alice tried without any compassion in her heart.

“No no no!!!” Dana came closer, turned Alice around so they were facing the same direction instead of each other. “I will show you how to do it.”

Dana pressed her whole body against Alice‘s. Her strong arms stayed with and on Alice‘s arms. With a focused determination, Dana held the racket over Alice‘s hands, bent the two bodies together and made a forehand hit as if there was an actual ball. The invisible ball went far away but the bodies stayed pressed.

TBC