Bright Florida sun beat down on the white club gate. A small girl in a blue tennis dress stood holding her racket, ponytail swinging in the breeze. A blonde woman in a crisp white outfit stopped in front of her, hand on the railing.
“Members’ children only.”
The girl looked up, voice calm and clear. “My dad said I could practice.”
The woman’s smile tightened. “Your dad cuts the grass.”
The girl’s eyes never left hers. “And pays more dues than anyone here.”
For the first time, the woman took a small step backward. The girl’s small hand tightened on her racket as if she could already feel the weight of every unpaid dollar that had kept this club alive.