Chapter 25 - Solomon
Solomon was a ball of nervous energy, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he did before a match. He’d never felt so alive. He reflected back on the past few years as he joined his team on their lap; the story of his birth, his childhood in Fiji, his adolescence in the United States, his improbable rise to the Olympics. The Olympics? He dug a thumbnail into his right index finger to convince himself he wasn’t dreaming. He wiped a single tear from his cheek as he walked, wishing his mom and dad could be there to experience the moment with him.
And still, even with all of that weighing on him, he also still thought of Logan. He needed to see her while they were here. No matter what she said.
As Team Fiji rounded the far turn, he caught site of the Americans crowded in the infield among the other nations. He had tried to spot Gavin and his Fijian family in the stands, but without luck. Knowing they were there would have to suffice.
Daydreaming about the spectacle they must be watching, and how far it was from the village where he grew up, he glanced over at the assembled Americans and he finally saw her.
Logan.
She was with her team and they’d already left the stage and were waiting for whatever happened next.
He approached her and the team and he immediately was relieved that Logan appeared happy to see him. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it briefly before introducing him to her teammates.
“You met Savannah,” she said, winking at her friend. “This is Tara. And Alyssa. And the twins, Allie and Angie DeCarlo…”
One of the twins spoke.
“Wow, it really is you,” Allie said. “You’ve grown up. Not enough, but still…” Allie gave Solomon a look that bothered Logan, a look of lustful appraisal.
Solomon was confused, looking each twin in the eye and then returning his gaze to Logan and shrugging his shoulders. “I’m sorry, do I know you from somewhere?”
“Maybe not us,” Angie explained. “But you definitely know our brother.”
Appearing behind Allie DeCarlo as her sister spoke was their brother, decked out in his Team USA swag – Adonis DeCarlo.
“You in the ninety kilo weight class?” Adonis asked Solomon while Logan tried to process the exchange happening over and around her.
“You know I am,” Solomon replied, the smooth, island tone of his voice replaced by an aggressive, barely restrained fury.
“Smart move, going with Fiji. Only way you’d make the Olympics in our weight class,” Adonis condescended while his sisters snickered.
Solomon balled his fists tightly, took a deep breath, and let them relax. This was not at all how he pictured how his reunion with Logan would go.
A reprieve for both Logan and Solomon was granted in the form of Leah Beierle, complete with her hair dyed white and covered with red and blue stars. “Hey, what’s up, what am I missing over here?”
“Oh, nothing, just catching up with an old friend of our brother’s,” Allie replied.
Adonis and Solomon were locked in a stare down, the intensity of which was starting to draw the notice of other athletes.
“I’m sure they’ll have plenty of time to reminisce. We’re all going to be here for a few weeks, right?” Leah stepped up and introduced herself to Solomon. “I’m Leah. You came over to talk to my girl Logan, right? Can’t blame you, she’s pretty hot. Unfortunately, she’s only into guys. You kids be careful, use protection, take your vitamins, all that good stuff. Don’t worry, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest were just leaving, right?” Leah gestured at the three DeCarlos, who dispersed slowly, snickering at Solomon.
Logan couldn’t help but to burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, you have to forgive Leah, too many head balls. She’s not all there.”
Leah leaned in and kissed Logan on the cheek before doing a pirouette and wandering back into the crowd. “Don’t stay up too late. Game tomorrow!”
“She seems…nice?” Solomon chuckled.
“So, what was that all about with the twins and their brother?” Logan asked.
“Their brother is a judoka. He’s the American in my weight class. He’s really good. But also a complete prick.”
“It runs in the family. I can’t stand those two. They’re great players, but I don’t think they have a friend on the team besides each other,” Logan explained. “Will you fight their brother?”
“I sure hope so. I’ve been wanting to get back on the mat with him. My first match is tomorrow, against a Slovenian guy. We’ve fought twice in tournaments before, I beat him the last time, he beat me the first time. He’s good, but I can win. Hey, nice game against New Zealand.”
“Thanks. Were you there?” Logan couldn’t believe it. She’d felt his presence all around her, and now she knew why.
“No, I wasn’t here yet, I was in the air. I watched the highlights, though. You were amazing.”
Logan began to answer, but the roar of the crowd became deafening as Brazil’s team entered the stadium to raucous applause. Everyone began to move as the stewards adjusted the teams to make room for the host nation.
Solomon leaned in close, speaking directly into Logan’s ear. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Logan. I need to see you. Tonight.”
It was Logan’s turn to shout over the noise, right into Solomon’s ear. “We’re in building J.”
With that, Logan surprised them both by kissing Solomon, deeply and with the answer to the question he hadn’t been brave enough to ask her.
Solomon looked all at once like a puppy given his first slab of steak, giving Logan an adorable, childish grin as he turned to return to Team Fiji.
* * *
The first round of the ninety kilo class of men’s judo at the 2016 Rio Olympics went according to plan. Judoka from the Far East dominated the action, with powerhouse Japanese and South Korean athletes claiming easy victories in the morning. Adonis DeCarlo suffered two early “shidos” or penalty warnings, putting him in danger of a disqualification, and then found himself caught in a choke hold by a feisty Australian opponent, but the American recovered and pulled out the victory.
Solomon and Gavin sat in the stands watching the action, taking mental notes on each victor, analyzing strengths and weaknesses of potential opponents. The inactivity made Solomon fidget, so he went to the locker room to get his heart pumping with a light workout. He caught a monitor near the locker room showing highlights of the day’s action, and as Gavin waited impatiently, Solomon held him up with a palm in the air, hoping for some results from women’s soccer. He wasn’t disappointed, watching European powerhouse France attack the United States time and again, only to be denied by the goalkeeper. Logan’s hair and hustle made her easy to identify, and Solomon was especially impressed watching her chase down a two-on-one break away at a full sprint, sliding at the last second to deflect a pass that would have beaten Leah Beierle and sent a French striker through alone on goal.
In the waning minutes of a scoreless match, Angie DeCarlo gathered up a loose ball in midfield and worked a neat give-and-go with Lori Gallagher to set her free near the edge of the penalty area. She shot low and hard, the ball deflecting off the inside of the post and into the goal. Solomon rolled his eyes at the fact that it was a DeCarlo that made it happen, but he was excited for Logan to have been part of another victory, and another shutout.
Gavin practically dragged Solomon down the hallway, clinching and grappling with him in an empty equipment room they found past the locker rooms. When both men were satisfied that Solomon was loose and ready, he returned to the arena and was shortly called to the mat.
With Logan’s smell and taste on his mouth from the previous night, Solomon stepped onto the mat with an angry stare for his opponent. He knew Adonis was watching and he knew his family was there in the arena, and he wanted to impress them both.
After a brief feeling out period, the Slovenian and Fijian locked up together, jockeying for position. Just when it seemed Solomon would be tripped, he spun away and dropped down, hooking his opponent’s leg and depositing him on the mat. The referee signaled for an “ippon,” or instant win, meaning Solomon would advance to the round of sixteen.
In judo, it could happen just that quickly. Four years of training and pain, cruelly gone in a heartbeat. The Dutch entry, an Olympic veteran and semifinalist in 2012, awaited Solomon the following day. Solomon had faced him once and lost, but that had been over a year ago.
Solomon celebrated victory with his family and spent some time with them after his bout, but his mind kept wandering back to the Village, to the J dorms, and as always…to Logan.