by K L Finalley
"I'm sorry. It's not in an American League park."
"Who cares," she screamed. "Is Silas gonna come sit with us? Did he get to come since he's part of the Cards affiliate?"
"Nope. Even better. He'll be playing in the outfield. He got called up."
Mallory said, "That's amazing."
Alex said, "You two better go get changed. We've gotta go soon."
~~~~~~~~
Jacqueline headed to the bedroom behind Mallory. As she closed the door, she asked her, "What were you gonna say before they came in?"
"Now's not the time." Jacqueline said changing clothes.
"Maybe later?"
"Definitely later. When the time's right." As Mallory went to the restroom, Jacqueline placed the box back in the room safe.
When she exited the bathroom, she said, "Are you sure you're okay with all of this?"
"What? All of what?"
"You've got so much. I don' t know why..."
"I have got nothing without you and Zoe. All the money in the world wouldn't matter without you,” She pulled Mallory close and started to kiss her. After only a few seconds, the door opened.
Alex stuck her head into the room and said, "Stop making out. Get dressed. We've gotta go." Then, she closed the door behind her.
Jacqueline couldn't finish her kiss. Mallory was laughing. She said, "I may kill her."
~~~~~~~~
As they walked into the stadium, Jacqueline reached down and held Mallory's hand. Over the buzz of the crowd, she said, "I'm glad we talked."
"I am, too. I'm glad you see a future for us."
"I can't remember the past without you."
"Me either," Mallory snuggled into her side.
After they located their seats, Jacqueline and Elet headed back up the stairs for snacks.
Waiting to be alone, Alex turned to Mallory and began her line of questioning, "Okay, they're gone. Spill it."
Mallory moved closer, “We talked and talked and talked. She was scared. She wasn't sure what I wanted. I think she wants more."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I think she's trying to figure out how to ask me to marry her."
Alex leaned away, "Shut the front door. Are you serious? Already? Do you want that?"
"I never thought she'd want to. I mean, I thought the best possible outcome was just living together. But, I always wanted to marry her. I never thought about a wedding or anything like that, but I really did always imagine us married. I don't even know why. After I got divorced, I said I'd never get married, again. I think I've told everyone that." Alex nodded in agreement. "But, I don't know. I've felt like a dumb teenager. I've imagined being married to her."
"Well, at least, you can stop paying on that tiny ass house in Clearwater and move into a penthouse." Then, she hummed the theme to the Jeffersons.
"Stop that," Mallory swatted at her. "It doesn't matter. We may sell it and move to another place that's all ours."
"Who does that? It's a penthouse on Tampa Bay! It's huge. Everyone wants to live there."
"Exactly! Turns out she paid less than what it's worth. She could make a ton."
"Oh, hell yeah. Let's go get that mansion," Alex yelled.
"She wants to live in Apollo Beach."
"She's already been looking? What am I saying? Jacqueline probably already has an offer on a few places."
"We talked about that, too. No more sudden moves. No serious purchases without talking first."
"You know, she just isn't used to having to ask or talk before she does stuff. That's all."
"I know. I think she'll get better about it."
"Does she really have a house in mind?"
"She said she looked at two." Mallory said.
"She looked at twelve and drilled down to two. Girl, if she's gonna sell that penthouse that she loves and is already looking for new places, she has a ring. Just wait. I guarantee it."
"You think?"
"Hell! I know so. I'm so excited for you." Alex hugged her as they sat side by side.
"Shut up. It hasn't happened yet. Don't jinx me. What happened with you and Elet? Are things okay?"
"You know, I think they're really good. I told him about Cooper."
"You did?" Mallory was shocked.
"Yup. And, you know what, we laughed about it. He didn't want to know what I've done or how bad it'd been. He just wants things to be on the up and up now."
"Are they?"
"Absolutely. I've been straight since the summer. I saw Cooper, but it was always on the up and up. But, I'm so glad you guys were there to help me get my head straight about that fool. Girl, it was time to close that door once and for all."
~~~~~~~~
In line for snacks and drinks, Elet asked, "How'd the talk go?"
"Good, I think."
"You don't know?"
"I think I do, but I'm not sure."
"Well, how are you gonna find out?"
"I was about to find out for sure when you knocked."
Elet kicked the gravel, "Oops. My bad. Things look good."
"I told her that I wanted it all. All of it."
"What does that mean?"
"That's what I'm scared of. We did talk specifically about moving in and selling the penthouse."
"What the fuck? Um, you didn't run that by me."
"Was I supposed to?"
"You can't just sell your place and move in with someone you've dated for like five months."
"Why not?"
"Well, it's not been long enough."
"Too late now."
"Wait a minute." Doing air quotes, he asked, "by 'all the way,' do you mean marriage? How the hell did you go from flirting with two girls yesterday to marriage today? We didn't talk about that either. What the fuck is going on?" With his hands in his pockets, he looked as though he might jump up and down.
"I love her," Jacqueline explained quietly. "And, everything you've been telling me was right."
Elet quieted. "Does she love you, too?"
"She says she does."
"Do you have a ring?"
"Maybe."
"When are you gonna do it?"
"I got no idea, now."
"It's gotta be memorable."
"It's already memorable. I mean, how many times was she really gonna get a black girl to propose?"
Elet laughed. "How'd we get here?"
"She's the one, man."
"She is. She is. Did you tell her everything?"
"I think so."
"Dead father?"
"Check."
"Five-year plan?"
"Check, but I think I'm scraping it."
"Really? I mean, I guess you have to."
"She said she wasn't opposed to it. But, it seems like it's too much to ask. I mean, I could sell the penthouse and go. I wouldn't need five more years, but that's not fair to her. I mean, she's got a good thing at work and she's worked damn hard to get it. And, Zoe's little. She needs cheerleading and sleepovers and elementary school and all that shit. I can't expect them to give up everything to let me fulfill some dream.
"Good. Good." He shook his head. "I'm so proud of you for seeing it like that. On one hand, I would go wherever Alex needed to go to make her dreams come true, but, on the other hand, I would give up my dreams for her. Just don't decide for her. Just talk it through. I don't want to see you go to London or whatever, but I don't want you to be all miserable around here."
"But, I'm not miserable. I'm good. I'm really good. And, I don't know if I could go. Who'd I have to straighten me out?" She gave him a crooked smile.
"I couldn't do this without you." Then, he returned to his list, "Let's see. What about Tabs?"
"Do I have to tell her about that?"
"What are gonna do about Clementine?"
"I think Alex wrangled her in for me."
"That's my girl. But, you got pictures while we've been gone. You may have to do something."
"Yeah, I know. But, what? She
knows I'm in a relationship. She knows I don't go to Livewire anymore. She's just crazy."
"You may have to out crazy her crazy."
"Fuck. I really wanted her to catch a hint."
"She's not the type to do that."
She ran her hand through her hair. "We may have to have an honest conversation, too. We aren't really friends, but I think I need to lay some shit on the line with her."
"Might work. Maybe, she needs to hear it from you, not your posse." The two came up next to order. As they stood to the side to wait, Elet said, "So, you told her that you wanted her to move in. You hinted at marriage. You talked about selling the penthouse. You're scraping the five-year plan. You talked about why you've got problems talking about shit. Hmm, I think you did it all. I'm so fuckin' proud of you." Jacqueline beamed.
The food was ready. As they got napkins and condiments, she gave the order a once over. Then, she said, "You didn't get Alex a drink."
"I got her water in my pocket."
"She didn't want a drink drink?"
"Nope. Just a water's what she said. She was kinda out of it in the room, too. Maybe, she's gettin' sick."
"How'd things go between you and her?"
"You know, it's all good. She told me that dude, Cooper, came to town. Turns out she and Mallory and Olive had lunch with him."
"That had to be eventful," Jacqueline said."
"I didn't even have to ask. I don't know. Things felt good. I didn't wonder where she'd been or what she'd been up to. She just told me."
"That's great, man."
"Maybe, I just need to tell her how what she was doing made me feel. Maybe, I needed to come clean, so she'd open up. I guess she's more like you than I realize."
They walked the steep stairs back to the seats. Mallory and Alex had decided to sit together on the inside with Elet and Jacqueline on the outside. As they entered the row, Alex stood up and screamed, "Silas!" He was playing left field and from their seats he was only a few yards away from them. He leaned over and waved his cap. "Look at him. He's made it."
They noticed that he was walking from left field to the stands, so they walked down to talk to him. "What's up, little brother?" Elet asked as he shook his brother's hand.
Wearing his Cardinals uniform, he looked taller and thinner than he really was. "Hey, Elet. I'm glad you were in town. That's great fuckin' luck, isn't it?"
"Save some of that luck for the game," Alex said.
"Don't worry. I got plenty."
"Silas, when you hit your second home run tonight, I want the ball," Jacqueline said.
"The first one is for me. The second one is for them, but you can have the third."
"Okay. I'll take it."
"Be safe out here tonight. It's cold and dark. Keep your eyes on the ball." Mallory warned him.
"Okay, Mom," he teased.
Elet's face became serious. "Did you call Mom? Did you tell her, DeeDee, and Reese to watch?"
"Yeah, I called Mom. I sent a text to DeeDee and Reese. Reese called me back. I spoke to everyone. Even Pam. She told me not to screw up."
"I'm gonna fuck her up one day. Just wait," Alex said.
"Simmer down, sis. I think she'll be gone soon." Alex liked the way he called her sis. She liked the idea of being his sister, of them all being family.
"I doubt that. I think Reese loves her." Mallory said.
Silas looked around, "Looks like that's going 'round."
"What about you? When're you gonna settle down?" Mallory asked.
As he started to run back into position, he said, "Don't worry. When I get a pro contract, I'll marry a Playboy centerfold like the other guys. It'll give Alex someone to hate more than Pam." Watching him go, Elet stared at the Walden name bobbing up and down on his little brother's Cardinal's jersey. Alex and Mallory had started to return to their seats when Jacqueline walked over to him.
"He's all grown up," she said.
"Yeah, he is. Look at him. I remember when he said he wanted to play ball and no one believed him. Now, look at him."
"You look like a proud father."
"I kinda feel like one. Since Dad died, I've felt like their father."
"I know. You did good."
"All right. Enough of this. There's girls up there waiting."
When they returned to their seats, Mallory slipped her hand into Jacqueline's. They were looking around the stadium, talking about the seats, trying the various snacks they'd bought when Jacqueline's phone rang. She felt it buzz in her pocket. The night was so near perfect. It was so wonderful that she didn't want to ruin it by answering the call of some long gone life she wanted to forget. So, she didn't answer. She just let it ring and ring and ring. Praying it would end soon, she kept her head down until finally it stopped. When it did, she relaxed and slouched in her seat. Then, there was a long buzz. She thought, Fuck a text. Fearing that it would continue, she pulled the phone out of her pocket. She was going to block the number.
Mallory felt her remove the phone and groaned instantly. Jacqueline leaned over and said, "When I get back to town, I'll get a new phone. A new number. A fresh start. I promise."
Mallory smiled and kissed her. "Thank you, honey." She looked over her shoulder to see what the person had said or sent. Recognizing the number instantly, she said, "Wait, that's my dad's cellphone number. Read the message."
Jacqueline read it to her, "It says. Hi, is everything okay?"
"My dad doesn't text. That has to be Zoe," Mallory shook her head and said, "That kid's all yours."
Jacqueline: Hi, Zoe?
Zoe: My iPad is dead. I left my charger at home. Grandpa said I could use his phone to talk 2 u.
Jacqueline: Okay. Just as long as he gave you permission.
Zoe: He did. What's going on?
Jacqueline: We're at a baseball game. Silas is playing. You can see it on TV.
Zoe: R things ok?
Jacqueline: Yes, why wouldn't they be?
Zoe: Mom was crying. I was scared u didn't want us anymore.
Jacqueline: Adults can have disagreements and still love each other.
Zoe: u luv mom?
Jacqueline: Yes, of course, I do. Very much. And, you too.
Zoe: I was scared u weren't coming back.
Jacqueline: Of course, I'm coming back. We're a family. We always come back to each other.
Zoe: When will u be back?
Jacqueline: She'll be home on Sunday. I should be there by Monday night. Tuesday when you're back home, we need to have a family meeting.
Zoe: About what?
Jacqueline: All kinds of stuff
Zoe: Is it bad
Jacqueline: No, it's all good stuff.
Zoe: Cross your heart?
Jacqueline: Cross my heart.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To those who are genuinely curious, K L Finalley was born in Florida in the seventies. In an effort to avoid the starvation of herself and her family, she has maintained steady employment while writing. In those rare moments when she is not working or writing, she enjoys baseball and vodka – in unison when available.
For more information, visit the below:
www.klfinalley.com
www.facebook.com/klfinalley
ALSO BY K L FINALLEY
EMERSON NOVELS
Cross Your Fingers
Cross Your Heart
