CLAIRE
The club felt louder than usual that afternoon, even though nothing about the routine had changed. Players moved through the halls in familiar patterns, trainers called out updates, and the low hum of activity filled every corner of the building. I followed my schedule without issue, checked charts, reviewed reports, and answered questions as they came up. On the surface, everything moved the way it always had. Underneath it, something steady stayed with me, present in a way that didn't interfere with my focus or pull my attention away from work. I didn't replay the night before or try to extract meaning from it. I carried it with me, quiet and certain, like a decision already made.
That awareness followed me as I moved between offices and treatment rooms. A few players look
