Home Run

by Heidi McLaughlin

  Chapter 18

  Ainsley

  “Cooper Bailey has just been ejected from the game.”

  “Steve, I don’t understand what just happened but the young rookie has been ejected from the game, and Cal Diamond doesn’t look happy.”

  “You’re right, Larry. I think this is the first time Diamond has ever had to come out of the dugout this early in the season.”

  “And neither does Bailey. Being ejected from a spring training game isn’t going to sit very well with management.”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and now they’re onto the next batter. Moving on as if nothing has just happened. I sit back in my chair with my eyes focused on the radio, willing the reporters to give me an update on Cooper.

  “What the…”

  I shake my head. “I don’t even know, Stella.”

  We decided to take a late lunch today so we could listen to the game, and now I’m wishing I didn’t, because I’m not sure how to process this information. Cooper doesn’t seem like the type to get ejected. He loves the game, and all he wants to do is play, so this seems out of character.

  I turn the radio off and look at Stella. “Wow,” she says, sitting back.

  “Yeah, I don’t know what to think.”

  “No, I’m referring to the fact that you turned off the radio when we were listening to the game. I thought you were a fan.”

  I roll my eyes at her and stand, taking my portable radio off the base. “I need some fresh air,” I tell her as I leave my office. I tell my secretary that I’ll be wandering around if they need me, flashing my radio so they know I’m reachable.

  As soon as I step out, the warmth of the sun fills me, making me long for the scorching summer days that are ahead. I’ve never been a fan of the cold, opting for hot days and warm nights.

  The zoo is busy for midweek with lots of day cares bringing their children out for some springtime fun. In a few days, Jambo’s calf will be on display, and we’re expecting a surge of visitors.

  The reticulated giraffe exhibit is bustling with activity when I arrive. There are young kids feeding our family of giraffes. To me, they’re the gentlest animals, aside from the elephants, and they love to interact with their visitors. I think about heading into their exhibit but don’t want to distract them from the children, so I move on to the next, all while thinking about Cooper.

  He doesn’t strike me as a hotheaded person, and yet being thrown out of a game seems to be a result of his temper. Granted, I don’t know him that well, nor do I know the game, but I can’t imagine something being so bad that you’re asked to leave.

  Halfway through my tour, Stella catches up with me.

  “They won,” she says, falling in stride with me.

  “That’s good at least.”

  “Yeah…what are you going to say to him?”

  I stop and lean over the railing, looking over the lion sanctuary. The train for visitors rumbles nearby and laughter fills the air. This is my happy place.

  “I don’t know. I think I’ll wait until he brings it up.”

  “Has he ever been violent with you?” she asks, and I shake my head. When we’re together he’s sweet, caring and gentle. I would’ve never thought that this would happen to him, especially since he’s trying to earn a starting spot on the team.

  “If he was, you know I wouldn’t give him the time of day.”

  “True,” Stella says, sighing. “Maybe he’s a chameleon.”

  “Or maybe he’s human and had a bad day,” I suggest. “We all have them, and until he tells me what happened, there’s no point in speculating. I’m sure he’ll call me later.”

  We continue to walk through the park, checking each exhibit and stopping to chat with a few of the people who have yearly memberships. By the time I’m back in my office, the zoo is an hour away from closing, and the entrance is being locked down. I pull my phone out of my desk drawer, hopeful that Cooper has called, but find that only my mother has phoned.

  “Hi, Mom,” I say as soon as she answers.

  “Are you busy?”

  “Never too busy for you. What’s up?”

  “I decided to listen to the game today.”

  I close my eyes and hang my head. Of course she did. Why, of all times, does she suddenly take an interest in baseball?

  “Ainsley?”

  “I’m here, Mom.”

  “He seems to have a temper.”

  “Let’s not judge, okay? We don’t know what happened or what was said. When I talk to him, I’ll ask him. So until then, let’s forget what you heard today.”

  Mom lets out a rattling breath, making my insides tighten. I don’t care that her doctors think she’ll get better. Her last scan was not positive, and I think she’s getting worse.

  “What time will you be home?” she asks, changing the subject. I have no doubt she’ll bring it up again, but hopefully I will have spoken to Cooper by that time.

  “I’m about to leave now. What would you like for dinner?”

  “I think I’d like to go out tonight.”

  That idea brings a smile to my face. “That’s great. I’ll be home in about a half hour.”

  We say our goodbyes and hang up. I’m tempted to call Cooper, but figure that he’ll call when he’s ready. I can be patient while he works out whatever is bothering him. I take one last look at my flowers, wishing I could bring them home, but I don’t want my mom asking any more questions than she already has, and honestly, I want to leave my relationship with Cooper between us. Keeping my lives separate will allow me to decompress when I need to…from both of them.

  I’m lucky and make it home in thirty minutes. When I walk in, my mom is dressed and sitting in a chair in our living room.

  “You look nice,” I tell her as I kiss her on the cheek. She’s dressed in a blue flowered dress with matching scarf. The color gives her ashen skin some vibrancy. “Give me five minutes to change.”

  I don’t give her a chance to say anything before I disappear down the hall and into my room. I change quickly and readjust my ponytail before I’m back in the living room. “Where do you want to go?”

  “I was thinking I want pie for dinner.”

  I stifle a laugh and nod. “Sounds good, even though I should tell you no. Don’t you remember me asking for dessert for dinner when I was younger?”

  “Yes,” she says, taking my arm so she can stand. “But I’m your mother and you have to follow my rules.” She winks, making me wish I could capture this moment on film. These days are few and far between, and I need more of them.

  Once I have her situated in her car, I take the long way to the restaurant that serves her favorite peach pie. I’d love to take her for a ride in my Wrangler, but I don’t think she’s strong enough to climb in, and I can’t lift her.

  “Oh, it looks like they’re busy,” she says as I pull in. Indeed, there’s a tour bus in the parking lot, which means most of the seats will be filled. The diner has been here for years, since back when my grandparents were teenagers. They used to hang out here after school, drinking fountain sodas and listening to their music. My mom came here as a child, and both she and my grandparents brought me here. The diner has been owned by the same family for generations and makes the best dessert around.

  “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

  She shakes her head. “We can wait for a table if we have to.”

  I knew that would be her answer, so I shut off the car and run over to help her out. She walks gingerly to the door. Her steps are slow and calculated.

  “Mom, are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

  “I’m feeling great, just tired.”

  Tired is how she’s always feeling. I know the chemo is supposed to weaken your system, but at what point does your body start rebuilding?

  Surprisingly when we enter, only half the restaurant is filled, and we’re seated right away.

  “You’ll have to excuse the noise,” the waitress says as she sets do
wn our menus. “The Boston Renegades are here celebrating their win.”

  I look at her quickly and then my mom, whose eyes narrow. The pull to go see Cooper is strong, knowing he’s a few feet away from me, but I know my mother would rather tie me to the chair than let me get up and go see him. Even using the bathroom as an excuse won’t work since we’re closer to the restroom than he is. Truthfully, though, I wouldn’t go over because that would likely embarrass him.

  Instead of trying to catch his eye, I open the menu and pretend to look over my options. I already know what I’m getting—apple pie with ice cream—because I get it every single time I come here.

  When the waitress comes back, we place our orders, and an awkward silence falls between us. I fiddle with my napkin while my mom sips on her coffee.

  “You don’t have much to say?”

  “Just thinking,” I tell her.

  “About what?”

  Cooper and how he made me feel last night.

  “Work. The new calf was born a few nights ago, and he’s about to make his grand debut to the visitors.”

  “And that concerns you?”

  No, not really, but I can’t tell her what’s actually on my mind, so I fake it. “It’s always a risk, putting a newborn out in the open, but the Board of Trustees want him seen. I’m nervous is all, for him.”

  “Why wouldn’t you be?” she asks, completely unaware that I had to change my job around to accommodate the cancer taking over her body.

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” I say, just as the waitress brings our pie over. “Thank you,” I tell her as she puts down the delicious concoction in front of me. My stomach growls with anticipation, and my mother laughs.

  “Didn’t you eat lunch?”

  “Yes, but I firmly believe that your stomach holds a special place just for dessert. Because while I ate a late lunch, I’m starving for dessert.”

  I take the first bite, and the warmth of the apple pie mixing with the cold of the ice cream feels like heaven inside my mouth.

  “Why did you take a late lunch?”

  “Um…” I look up at the sound of rowdy laughter and smile. It’s good that they’re enjoying each other’s time and making the best of it. I’m still concerned with Cooper, though, and how he’s coping with what happened today. “I wanted to listen to the game.”

  “I see.”

  I wish I had the confidence to ask her exactly what the issue is. Shouldn’t my happiness be on the forefront of her mind? It shouldn’t matter if the guy that I like is white, black, or yellow, drives a truck, lives in the slums, or plays baseball. She should be happy that I found someone that I want to spend my time with.

  “Are you ready to tell me your story?” I ask her. It’s probably not the best time to say something, but I want to know.

  “What story?” She doesn’t look up when she answers, and I can’t tell if she’s being coy or not.

  “Your aversion to athletes? It started long before I started dating Mark and grew exponentially when he cheated on me. But not all athletes are like that.”

  She sets her fork down and wipes her mouth on her napkin. “There are better people in the world that I’d like to see you with.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question. You have a specific hatred toward athletes, and I want to know why. I deserve to know why.”

  I cross my arms over my chest and wait for her to respond. She doesn’t at first, instead choosing to take another bite of her pie.

  “Mom?”

  She sighs and sets her fork down again. “I’ve known a few in my life, and none of them turned out be admirable. It’s not uncommon for a mother to want someone different for her daughter. Date a doctor or a businessman. Date someone who comes home to you every night and doesn’t spend half his time on the road where temptation will get the best of him.”

  “Who is it that you dated? Is it my father that made you this way?”

  “No, it’s not. Now finish your ice cream before it melts.”

  She returns to eating, but the eerie feeling I have in the pit of my stomach leads me to think that my father is someone famous, or was. I’ve never known him, not even his name, and she’s never hidden the fact that he left before I was born. Deep down I know I have to get the information from her before it’s too late. If he’s out there, I at least want to know who he is.

  It seems that the young rookie has a temper! We’ve all seen it in baseball, especially during the regular season when tempers flare, but never during spring training.

  What is Cooper Bailey thinking?

  What is Cal Diamond thinking?

  If this isn’t evidence of a future problem, I don’t know what is.

  The Renegades pulled out the victory, despite the ejection of Bailey, over what was a disputed foul call. Bailey is going to have learn to pick and choose his battles and remember that Diamond is the one paid to get in the ump’s face.

  Tomorrow, the Tampa Bay Rays will be at Jet Blue Park. The Rays are rumored to be moving to Montreal if they can’t strike a deal for a new stadium in Tampa Bay. Of course, some of the commingling that went on with their current facility probably isn’t sitting well with the city officials. Montreal has expressed its desire to have a Major League team return to its city, and they prefer the American League and are promising the Rays organization a brand new state-of-the-art stadium.

  GOSSIP WIRE

  Not much happening in Fort Myers…yet, but give the guys time. The rookies always make for great fodder!

  The BoRe Blogger

  Chapter 19

  Cooper

  We won, and I missed it. I had to watch from the clubhouse while my teammates celebrated the victory on the field. Even when they came in, they were jovial while I sulked on my stool, ready to leave. Except the team had other plans, which consisted of a team dinner. It’s a tradition after our first win. The organization charters us to the same diner they’ve been going to for a few years and buys us dinner. The guys tell me that this restaurant makes the “best damn pie” ever, and by the way this place smells, I’m already in agreement without having tasted a piece yet.

  “Cheer up, rookie,” Davenport says, sitting down next to me. It’s easier said than done, but he’s right. I can’t dwell on what I can’t fix. I do need to get my head straight, though, because whatever I have going on right now isn’t working for me.

  “I’m not making a good impression.”

  “On who? Diamond or Stone? They both know what you can do, so stop stressing about it and just play ball. It’s spring training. Who gives a shit if you play well? We’re all rusty. Don’t be so damn hard on yourself.”

  I care and probably too much. I need to relax and find my groove.

  “What’d you say out there anyway?” Davenport asks.

  “I said the call was fucking bullshit.”

  “Seriously?” he asks, shaking his head. “Bill must be having some serious issues going on right now. I’ve said worse than that, and he’s never said a thing to me.”

  “I’ve never even lost my temper before. I think I was so stoked that I connected with the ball that I needed it to be fair.”

  “It was fair,” Bainbridge adds as he sits down on my other side.

  “That’s what I thought,” I say in agreement.

  “Next time, let Diamond do your fighting. When it comes to season play, you’re the most important player when you’re up to bat. That is where your focus needs to be.”

  I nod, accepting his advice. Thing is, I know all of this, but have seemed to forget everything I’ve learned over the years.

  Diamond greets the waitress when he sees her. Kidd cracks some off-handed joke, making us laugh. Everyone cheers when she tells us that they have extra pie baking just for us.

  “So, rookie, are you using a batting glove?” Kidd asks. I look at him questioningly, wondering why he’d ask me something like that. The guys around us laugh, but Kidd keeps a straight face.

  “Um…I use two.”<
br />
  He tries to hold back a laugh, but to no avail. I shake my head, quickly realizing that it’s another one of his sexual innuendos. I throw the paper from my straw at him. “Are you ever fucking serious? You act like an eighteen-year-old.”

  “I gotta keep shit from getting too serious here,” he says. I choose not to ask him what the innuendo is, because I don’t want to know. For all I know, I’ve just insulted Ainsley.

  Speaking of whom, I pull out my phone hoping to see a text from her. I don’t know if she listened to the game today. Though I actually hope she didn’t. Getting ejected isn’t exactly a glowing recommendation when I’m trying to start a relationship with her. Instead, I find the slew of missed calls from my dad and an equal number of texts from him, berating me for my actions, each text message angrier than the previous one. I knew he’d be pissed, and I could’ve probably headed some of these messages off if I had answered his first call.

  After dinner and dessert, we drag our tired asses back to the bus and head back to the stadium. Once I’m in my car, I text Ainsley while Guerra and Wilder get in and situated.

  Do you want to come over?

  I don’t really want her there while Guerra and Wilder are there. However, I want to see her, be with her. But I also have to be up early. After today I’m going to work even harder to figure out what’s going on with my game. I can’t tell if it’s mental or what, but something has to change. This is my dream, and the last thing I want is for it to slip away because of my inability to perform at this level.

  I’ll meet you there!

  Relief washes through me, except there’s a nagging voice in the back of my head that the guys aren’t going to take this lightly.

  “So my friend is coming over tonight,” I say as I pull out into traffic. As I suspected, they start saying stupid shit that I’d be saying if the roles were reversed. I’m starting to think baseball players never grow the fuck up.

  “She’s hot,” Wilder says, and Guerra echoes the sentiment.