hearing damage | YELLOWJACKETS

twenty-seven.

Talia Turner | 2021
Cape May, New Jersey

Taylor Swift had become a staple in Talia Turner's life. Ever since her daughter was three years old and heard the opening notes of Enchanted, she'd been obsessed. That had been three years ago, so for the last three years, Taylor Swift had been a staple in Talia's life. It was Taylor Swift in the morning and Taylor late at night. And Taylor on the way to the very first soccer match.

Talia turned down the music as she turned into the parking lot of the soccer facility. She pulled into a parking spot and looked in the backseat where her daughter was swaying back and forth to the faint music that was coming out of the speaker.

"Okay Charlie, do you remember what I told you?"

"Soccer is just a game and it's okay if I pick grass," Charlie answers as she stops swaying, "And that it's okay if I hate soccer entirely because then we can try something else!"

"Bingo," Talia says with a smile.

"Is Aunt Taissa going to be here?" Charlie asks. Talia shouldn't have been surprised by the question since the entire week her daughter had been asking if her aunt would be at the game. Talia was convinced that Charlie would have been content if it was just her aunt at the game.

"Yes, and Aunt Simone and Sammy," Talia answers, "Now what did I say to do if Aunt Taissa starts getting excited?"

"Ignore her," Charlie responds.

"You are on it today," Talia says as she gives her daughter a small smile. She kills the engine and gets out of the car before going to the backseat where she opens the door for Charlie who jumped out of the car. Talia put her sunglasses on top of her head as she held her hand out to Charlie who took it.

"Well well, what do we have here?"

"Aunt Taissa!" Charlie exclaims as she releases her mother's hand and takes off running toward her aunt. Taissa grins as she picks Charlie up, spinning her. Talia notices Simone and Sammy as they get out of the Range Rover and she makes her way over to her nephew and sister-in-law.

"Sam-sam," Talia greets and Sammy smiles at her.

"Hi, Aunt Talia."

"Are you too cool for hugs now?" Talia asks and Sammy shakes his head as he walks over to her and embraces her. She kisses Sammy's head before looking at Simone.

"Hey, Talia."

"Hi Simone," Talia says as she hugs her, "Are you ready for today?"

"You know there's a reason we kept Sammy out of soccer. You were brave for signing Charlie up," Simone says and Talia shrugs.

"I tried to avoid it, but when she found out her friends were playing, she begged me to let her play," Talia shares as she looks at her sister and daughter. She knew Taissa was giving her a pep talk, she could feel it from where she was standing.

They made their way onto the field and Talia watched as Charlie gave her aunt one last hug before running off onto the field with the rest of her teammates. Talia walks over to her twin sister.

"What did you tell my child?"

Taissa looks at Talia innocently, "I told her that her best was enough."

"And?"

"That Turner women don't lose," Taissa says with a shrug and Talia sighs and shakes her head. They make their way over to the bleachers and take a seat. Talia watches as her sister looks around and she knows that she's looking for someone, she doesn't need to ask. She knows who she's looking for.