What The Heart Wants

Eat Your Heart Out

The night before Convention starts tends to be hit-or-miss in terms of who is in town already. With Hearts players being deposed on Wednesday and Friday, the club asked everyone to come into town on Tuesday so they could be settled and ready to go right away the next morning.Ali and Steph had been in Philadelphia together for a few days and had begun moving things into their new place, found for them by Julie. The corps of Canadians (Diana, Rhian, Erin, Ella, Carm, and Emily) stopped by to surprise the pair and so Diana could see the place ahead of moving in in a few weeks. Following the short visit, Carm and Emily went back to her place and the other four went to the Downtown Marriott, one of the host hotels for Convention.

***

Steph and Liz arrived at Smokin' Betty's in anticipation for their double date with Tyler and the guy who Liz has been in touch with since Hearts United. The pair of men were waiting for them by the front door, greeting them with light hugs. The hostess saw that the entire party was here and quickly led them to a table.

Tyler: Aaron and I had a few minutes to talk before you arrived, comparing what each of us knew about both of you.

Liz: He knows a bit, but probably not much more than you'd find in my USC or North Carolina Courage profiles.

Aaron Donahue: Such as you having two brothers and a sister and your grandfather, father, and younger brother taking part in USC athletics. And you playing lacrosse as well as soccer.

Liz: Guy read up on me. I'm impressed, or creeped-out. Not sure which, yet.

Steph giggled slightly. "You know you wouldn't tell him any of that even if he asked. You're like a closed book most of the time, even though you are a bit goofy."

Liz: Can't argue with you there.

Steph: So what do you do, Aaron?

Aaron: I work at the Biddle Law Library at the University of Pennsylvania.

Steph: Looking to be a lawyer?

Aaron: No. I love the law, yes, but I'm not THAT driven to take on cases where people get hurt just to score points with a judge or jury. Victim advocacy would be more my domain, but I enjoy the job I have, helping future lawyers find materials and quizzing them on what they're researching.

Liz (to Tyler): Steph tells me you're a sports psychologist.

Tyler: Yes. Did she also tell you that I'm researching something now that might be of interest to the Hearts and your lawyer as it relates to the lawsuit?

Aaron's ears perked up when he heard lawsuit.

Steph: Yes, I did, and I told her that you're planning to catch Brian at the hotel tomorrow after our depositions to talk about helping out.

Aaron: Fill me in, the two of you.

Steph gave Aaron an overview of what had happened with Orlandini to cause the club and a few players to sue him for harassment, including the effective outing of Julie Johnston Ertz.

Aaron: That would explain to some degree why she and Zach got divorced.

Tyler: Her case is separate from that of the Hearts and their players because it is about financial losses she has suffered because of his actions, not harassment per se.

Aaron: If you need someone who can get you case law that could help win the suit, I could probably be of some assistance. Now, Tyler, what are you researching that could help them?