Fangirl Down

Wells knows that Josephine is his only remaining fan. He’s thankful for her support but irritated that she hasn’t given up on him considering how poorly he’s been playing in recent months. Even his mentor, Buck Lee, has given up on him and won’t respond to his messages.

After the match, Wells confronts Josephine and tells her to leave, calling her “belle” (8) because he doesn’t know her given name. Josephine insists that he’ll improve, but Wells doesn’t want to hear her encouragement. He also refuses to have lunch with her and give her the lesson. He insists that golf has stopped loving him and he’s going to quit. Josephine protests, but Wells tears her sign in half. Josephine’s face changes and Wells storms off.

After quitting the tour, Wells spends the next three weeks drinking and partying. He wakes up in his Miami condo hungover. He turns on the television and watches the news of Hurricane Jake, the storm that blew in last night. He finds himself worrying about Josephine, wondering if she’s okay and if he made a mistake in being so unkind to her.

He reflects upon his life over the years, remembering all the trouble he got into growing up. When he was 16, Buck Lee saved him by introducing him to golf. He was successful thereafter but has since failed everyone. Even his manager Nate quit.

Wells calls Nate, asking for Josephine’s contact information. Nate has her information because of the contest but refuses to give it to Wells for privacy reasons. Frustrated and anxious, Wells decides to drive to Palm Beach to find Josephine.

Josephine is devastated by the damage Hurricane Jake did to her pro shop. She sits outside, studying the wreckage and taking her glucose tabs. She calls her parents to update them, trying to stay positive throughout the call.

The Golden Tee Pro Shop is attached to Rolling Greens golf course and has been in her family since the mid-1960s. For years, she’s dreamed of updating the shop to compete with the more high-end clubs, but now she isn’t sure she can. She blames herself for the damage, as she begged her parents to let her run the shop. She wanted to prove that she could handle the responsibility while taking care of herself. She was “diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age six” (22), and her parents have worried about her ever since, rarely letting her do things by herself. Recently, Josephine gave up her medical insurance to afford the pro shop rent. She gave up insurance on the shop at the same time.

Josephine wades into the shop to further inspect the damage. She hears a voice outside, shocked to see Wells at the door. Wells says he was in the area visiting a friend and wanted to check on her. Josephine is skeptical. Remembering their last interaction, she tries to get him to leave.

Wells is taken by Josephine’s beauty and even more worried about her when he hears about her insurance situation. For years, Wells has told himself he doesn’t need anyone. Sick of his bad behavior, his parents left him in the care of his uncle and went to work on a cruise ship. His “behavior only escalated” (28) after they left. However, his mentor and apprentice relationship with Buck helped him and secured him a spot on the PGA tour. Wells remembers all of these disappointed relationships while talking to Josephine.

A beeping sound interrupts Wells’s thoughts. Josephine explains that it’s her blood sugar monitor, as she’s diabetic. Wells is surprised to learn more about Josephine’s life as they talk. He offers to give her the money to repair the shop and cover her insurance policies. Josephine refuses, uninterested in being a charity case. On an impulse, Wells suggests that she work as his caddie for the rest of the tour to earn the money she needs. Josephine agrees as long as he gets his hair cut.

Josephine accompanies Wells to the barber shop. Throughout the haircut, they talk and banter. Josephine explains that she doesn’t have a boyfriend because most men expect women to be docile and fragile, and she doesn’t like being treated this way. Furthermore, most men don’t like her sharp tongue and strength. Wells listens intently to her stories and even remarks on Josephine’s positivity. They talk about the next tour stop in Texas; Josephine assures Wells they’ll have fun together.

Wells tries to get back into shape to return to the tour. Meanwhile, he worries about calling Buck to get back on the roster. He thinks about Josephine to get up the courage for the call. Meanwhile, he reflects on his past sexual and romantic entanglements. He’s never been interested in commitment. Wells calls Buck and explains his situation. Buck is surprised to hear about Josephine but agrees that he could spin Wells’s comeback into a good story.

Josephine stops at her parents’ before leaving for the Texas Open. She tells them her news about being Wells’s caddie, but they don’t believe her. She ignores their laughter and explains that she’ll only be gone while they’re waiting for the pro shop repair money.

Josephine checks in at the resort when she arrives in San Antonio. The receptionist is welcoming, but the other caddies and golfers in the room scoff when they hear that she’s working for Wells. Women never work as caddies, and everyone knows Wells’s reputation.

Josephine is shocked by the suite Wells booked for her. She runs the bath and luxuriates in the tub until she hears someone entering. She’s horrified when Wells opens the door and sees her bare chest. She puts on a towel, and they talk in the living room. Wells says he booked this room for himself but that Josephine’s looks the same. A sense of energy passes between them as they talk. Eventually, Josephine recovers herself and reminds Wells he’s there to focus on his game.

Wells tells Josephine to wear something nice as they’re attending the welcome cocktail party together that evening. Before leaving, he ensures that the fridge is stocked with things Josephine can drink and that she has her medication and supplies. Alone, Josephine reflects on what’s happening.