9
Life in Oxford. February 1970.
Six days a week, at six in the morning, Emilee showed up in the gym without a word of complaint and got to work. She loved the discipline and reveled in her new skills. Her dream was to be promoted to a coxed eight sweep boat—a real boat. She’d do anything, anything, to escape the stale confines of the indoor rowing and training facility.
Once she received confirmation of being promoted to the boats from Coach Davis, it became impossible to pay attention in class. For two entire days, she had to attend classes with a straight face, pretending nothing had happened.
The night before Rachel and she were to try out the fine boat on the river with six other rowers, sleep evaded her. Her usual, packed-to-the-ceiling daily program left few idle minutes, causin
