Lupe and Selina Play Through the Storm

Bonnie had mentioned an invitation to the softball tournament in Mexico in the mail pile. None of the sports teams ever traveled out of the country. Suddenly, glamorous headlines popped into her head: “International Competition a First for Long Beach Waves.” “Waves Reach International Waters.” How would the public relations experts get mileage out of this event?

Questions and doubts filled her mind. How much would it cost to take the team abroad? What if the team experienced a disastrous tournament? Suppose they fell ill while across the border? What about this Mexican player? How might she integrate with the team? Lupe could not stop these questions.

How extensive must her absence be? What could befall Mama during her absence? What if David and Mark messed up something with the home improvement project? Worst yet, what if Derek Unger took advantage of her absence to attempt a takeover of her job?

Ten miles from home, Lupe concluded that remaining home and playing her regular season offered the optimal control over her department, situation, and existence. But she needed a big win for the team and for her job security.

She changed her approach as she prepared her remarks for the Monday meeting. She decided to talk up her team’s invitation to compete in Mexico and make their international debut, the first Long Beach team to travel abroad.

Then her thoughts returned to that one applicant. Who was the Mexican player they’d admitted a few days ago? How would she fit into this picture?