The Matchup

by Laura L. Walker

  Valerie and the kids were struck speechless at the gorgeous layout of the rooms. Upstairs, an entertainment room boasted a supersized flat-screen television along with a video game console and a ping-pong table in the corner.

  Zach was practically jumping up and down with excitement. “Cool. Look, Dad. Grandma and Grandpa Logan have all the fun games.”

  Gage smiled and said, “Yeah, Zach. I knew you’d like that.” Jared Logan chuckled. “Like father, like son.” Gage did a double take. “Really?”

  “Definitely. High energy. Excited about life. Just like you were at that age.”

  Before everything changed. The unspoken words hung in the air between them.

  “You must be tired, sugar,” Tamara said to Valerie, breaking the awkward silence. “Let me show ya’ll to your rooms.”

  She led Gage and Valerie to a bedroom complete with a reading nook, a king-sized bed, and a set of French doors that led out to a balcony. “Oh, my,” Valerie breathed as she took in the spectacular view of the mountains in the distance along with the beautiful gardens below.

  Gage glanced at the swimming pool, noting with relief that the cover was safely installed to keep excitable non-swimmers out of harm’s way.

  Though she was very different from their own mothers, Tamara brought her own special brand of magic to being a grandparent. Literally. Perhaps sensing that Whitney needed some extra loving, the two of them spent hours in Tamara’s craft room with their supplies spread out everywhere. Nobody knew exactly what they were up to. Upon asking, they were promptly shooed away with the admonition that it was a surprise.

  Later that evening, after dinner had been served and their craft supplies had been cleared away, Tamara and Whitney announced to the family that they would be presenting a magic show. Whitney, wearing a magician’s hat made from construction paper and a cape that had been sewn with red and black felt, announced, “For my first trick, I will make a coin disappear.” She directed the group’s attention to a table with a sheet of paper and a clear plastic cup. From her pocket, Whitney pulled out a quarter and placed it on the paper. Carefully grasping the cup, she placed it on the coin and covered the cup with a small handkerchief. “Abracadabra!” When she lifted first the cloth, and then the cup, the quarter was gone.

  Tamara cued the rest of the family in to applaud Whitney’s first “trick.”

  Next, Whitney grabbed a paper bag that she’d set off to the side. “Now I will transform a toad into a prince. But first, I want to tell you a story.” Whitney pulled a plastic toad out from the bag and showed it to her audience.

  “There once was a fair maiden who was walking sadly down the road and spotted a toad. She said, ‘Oh, Toad. I don’t know what to do. You see, I was at this ball where a handsome prince was meeting all the eligible maidens in his kingdom. For you see, his father the king decreed that the prince needed to find a wife. Then this beautiful woman named Cinderella walked in and the prince took one look at her and forgot about everyone else but her. I’ve had my heart set on marrying a prince since I was a little girl. Can you help me?’

  “Then the toad said, ‘Why don’t you kiss me and find out?’

  “The lady said, ‘Okay.’ And she did.” Whitney kissed the toad and placed it back in the bag while finishing her story. “As soon as she kissed the toad, POOF!” Whitney closed the bag and popped it like a balloon. She then pulled a plastic figurine of a handsome prince from the bottom of the bag. It was magic!

  The family clapped their hands enthusiastically. While Whitney had her back toward the audience to prepare her final trick, Gage whispered in Valerie’s ear, “Wow! Combining two fairy tales into one. And thinking about boys already. I can see what I’m up against in the years to come.”

  Valerie playfully smacked his arm and leaned over to whisper back. “You’ll be fine. She’s a great kid.” They shared a knowing smile.

  Whitney then turned back around and said, “Finally, for my last trick, I’m going to make this toothpick disappear into thin air.” All of them could clearly see the toothpick she held up in her closed hand. Thrusting her hand toward her brother, she called, “Justin, catch!” Justin flinched, obviously expecting the toothpick to come flying his way.

  “Wait! Where did it go?” Turning this way and that, he searched the floor around his seat.

  “Whoa! It disappeared!” Zach gasped.

  “It’s magic,” Tamara said in a stage whisper.

  “Want me to make it reappear?” Whitney asked. They all clamored their consent.

  Whitney then made a motion with her hand as if she were snatching the toothpick out of the air. Suddenly, it was in her closed hand again. “How did you do that?” Justin asked after Whitney bowed and they all applauded.

  With a grin, she twisted her hand around to reveal the toothpick stuck to her thumb with a piece of tape. Impressive. The boys jumped out of their seats to ask Whitney how she had made the coin disappear and turned the toad into the prince. While Whitney was showing them the secrets behind her magic tricks, Valerie asked Gage, “How did Tamara know about our ongoing magic theme?”

  “When she asked me what the kids would like to do while they were here, this idea came to mind. She looked for some magic tricks online and called me later to tell me about them. They were perfect, weren’t they?”

  “Absolutely.” When Valerie smiled like that, Gage had a hard time remembering where he was. He loved seeing her—and their daughter—so happy.

  Gage and Valerie took their bunch to Disneyland on the second day they were there, being mindful of Justin’s limitations. When it seemed he’d had enough stimulation and was getting a little antsy, they left, promising to use their two-day passes again.

  Jared and Tamara took them to the beach the next day for a picnic lunch and to let the kids play and explore. When the boys started wandering a little too far off for Valerie’s comfort, she stood to follow them.

  Gage squeezed her shoulder. “Sit down and relax. I’ll follow along.”

  Valerie nodded and resumed her conversation with her in-laws while Gage tagged after the boys, giving them the distance they needed to feel a sense of independence while still keeping them in his sight. He soon became aware of someone walking behind him. Turning to see his father, he said, “Thanks for putting up with us, Dad. I know we’re a noisy bunch.”

  Jared shook his head. “Not at all. You have a really great family, son, although I never imagined that you would someday marry John and Brande’s daughter. I’m amazed and pleased by the fact that we’ll be sharing grandchildren.”

  Gage mumbled, “Um, yeah.” He wasn’t about to tell his dad that he and Valerie would unlikely have any more, if Valerie had her way.

  “Maybe some time you’ll tell me just how you came back into the Church. I’d like to hear more.”

  Gage looked at him in surprise. In the past, that sentence would probably have come out sounding more like a demand than a request. “It’s because of Valerie,” he responded lightly. “I know that the Lord worked a miracle in my life when He brought her back into it.”

  “Son, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, but it wasn’t something that could be said over the phone or at your wedding.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your mother brought something to my attention that happened a long time ago but that may still be causing some discord between us.” At Gage’s raised brow, he continued, “She mentioned that you felt slighted when you were preparing to serve your mission and my thoughtless behavior at the time dissuaded you from accepting the call.”

  Gage shook his head. “That was a long time ago, Dad. I don’t want to rehash the past. My bishop has helped me to come to terms with the decisions I made.”

  “Forgiving yourself is one of the most important things you can do after seeking the Lord’s forgiveness. However, Gage, I’m also asking your forgiveness. I was so wrapped up in my selfishness that I couldn’t see how badly I hurt you.”

&
nbsp; Gage’s heart ached. “It’s okay, Dad. I just want to forget it and move on.”

  His dad smiled. Though slightly more wrinkled, Gage couldn’t remember a time when his features had been so gentle. “I want that too. I think we’ve wasted enough time with regrets.”

  Gage and Valerie took the kids to Disneyland again on their last full day of vacation, wearing them out in the process. That night, after Gage had laid Zach down on his bed, he and Valerie stayed up to play a game of Monopoly with Jared and Tamara. The women found they were no match for the Logan men and soon gave up, heading into the kitchen to prepare some snacks. At eleven o’clock, an exhausted Valerie kissed Gage good night and left him to play it out with his father and Tamara, who said good night soon after.

  Gage thought he was just coming out the victor when his dad surprised him with a sudden comeback. At half past midnight, they called a truce. As they were cleaning up the game, Jared said, “So tell me more about Valerie. How did the two of you meet again?”

  Gage told his dad about the role Valerie had played in helping Gage to put the broken pieces of his and Zach’s lives back together after April’s death. Jared asked about Valerie’s children. Although Gage had already given him a partial summary of his Valerie’s struggles, tonight he shared them in greater detail. “I’m telling you this because we all need to be on the same page. Valerie has gone through so much with Justin, mainly because people don’t understand. As her new family, we need to be patient and supportive. We already had one incident with Pierce and Noelle when Justin hit Caleb. It’s bound to happen again at some point. I just hope that everyone can remain objective when it does.”

  “We’ll certainly try. I’m proud of you and Valerie, Gage.”

  Their conversation drifted to other topics as they sat in the dimly lit room. For Gage, this was the most natural exchange he could ever recall having with his father.

  “Tell me about your job with the Diamondbacks,” Jared said. “You mentioned that you were a little worn out from the long season.”

  “Yeah. I hope that by next season, we’ll be a little more settled into our lives and routines.”

  Jared looked at him pensively. “That’s just it. How can you and Valerie establish a routine with your children when your schedule is so sporadic?”

  Gage leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “I don’t know. Valerie and I have talked about this. But, Dad, I love my job and I’m good at it. I don’t want to give it up.”

  “The Lord gave each of us strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps your love of the game is a little of both. You and I are a lot alike in that we have a tendency to become so engrossed in our careers that we forget about the people we love. It took me an absurd amount of time to recognize that. Surely there is a way for you to balance both your family life and career.”

  Valerie’s suggestion of looking internally for another position came to mind. How quickly he had dismissed it as a foolish notion. But now all Gage wanted was for his family to be happy. “I’m going to miss being at the games.”

  “What is it about the games that you’ll miss? The food?”

  Gage grinned at his father’s teasing. “No.”

  “The fans?”

  He shrugged. “Yeah. Talking with them one-on-one, catching their excitement for the game . . . it’s contagious.”

  “What about the players?”

  “I enjoy interacting with them, for the most part.”

  “What about feeling like you’re a part of something big?”

  “Definitely. I love that feeling.”

  “Might I offer you a suggestion, son?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Replace the big leagues with the Little Leagues. Get your kids involved in playing the game you love so much. Do your job and do it well, but allow some time to be a part of your children’s lives. Before you know it, they’ll grow up and be gone.”

  Gage nodded pensively as his father’s words circled through his sleep-deprived brain. He knew he’d have a headache in the morning. But this talk with his dad had been well worth it.

  The wheels on the minivan weren’t the only ones turning. Valerie could practically see the gears grinding in Gage’s head as they pulled onto the freeway to head home. However, she hadn’t a hint as to what it was all about. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Want to talk about it?”

  He looked at her absently. “Talk about what?”

  “Whatever it is you’re thinking about.”

  “It’s just something my dad said to me,” he replied distractedly.

  They’d only been married for a short time and were still learning to read each other’s moods. She hoped that he would confide in her when his had improved.

  “Hey, Dad, when will we get to see Grandma and Grandpa Logan again?” Zach asked from the backseat.

  “Yeah, they were really fun,” Whitney pitched in.

  Gage grinned. “You had a good time visiting them, did you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What about you, Justin?”

  Brownie points for Gage, Valerie thought. At least he had included Justin in their conversation.

  “I had fun.”

  Gage turned toward Valerie with a determined expression, coming out of whatever fog he’d been in. “I’ve decided to look for a new job.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes,” he said quietly. “I’ve been wrestling with some things, and while I’ve made a lot of changes, part of me wanted to hold onto something familiar, kind of like a security blanket. But you were right. My current job is not allowing me to be a very good husband or father. I’m sorry that I’ve been so stubborn.”

  Valerie bit her lip, feeling guilty. “Gage, I don’t want to take you away from something you love doing.”

  “No, working for the Diamondbacks has been an awesome experience. They’re a really great organization to work for. But what I love doing most is connecting with people and turning their business assets into those of high demand. There are countless companies out there who need a marketing consultant or I could hire on with a marketing company with a large clientele base.”

  “Or you could start your own,” Valerie added, catching onto his enthusiasm.

  For a split second, his face brightened before it clouded. “Yeah, I’ve thought of that, but then we wouldn’t have the benefits that we’d have from working for someone else. And let’s face it, with Justin, we’ll always need good health coverage, not to mention the possibility of needing maternity care.” His warm gaze entreated hers before she averted her eyes.

  Her face grew hot under his scrutiny. “It was just a thought. Let’s keep praying about it. You’ll find the right job when the time is right.”

  It was good to have Gage at church the next Sunday. Whitney was no longer fighting Valerie over going to church every week. Since she and Gage had filed a formal complaint about Nick’s failure to uphold his end of their agreement, he’d started taking more care to do so. Menaces like him, Samuel Jensen had informed Gage and Valerie, knew how to stay just within the boundaries of the law. They would most likely never discover who had burglarized Valerie’s home before their wedding.

  Whitney escorted the boys to Primary while Valerie and Gage went to their gospel doctrine class. They sat by the Powells, who alternately held and chased down their fourteen-month-old daughter, Ruthie. Valerie’s heart tugged at the sight of the adorable little girl, but she devoutly ignored the pang. Forget about it, she told herself sternly. You weren’t meant to have any more babies. There were some things in this life that were irreversible and autism was one of them. She couldn’t take that risk.

  “Zach, do you want bologna or PB and J?” Valerie asked as she grabbed two slices of bread and a knife from the kitchen drawer for their late lunch after church.

  “Peanut butter and jelly,” he promptly answered. Valerie nodded as she began spreading peanut butter on one slice of bread.

  Gage kept a clo
se eye on her as he pulled a pitcher of juice from the refrigerator. Something seemed off.

  Whitney entered the kitchen and began making herself a sandwich.

  “Hey, Mom,” Zach said after swallowing a huge bite of his sandwich. He’d recently begun calling Valerie by that name, probably because he wanted to feel like he belonged in this family of His and Hers.

  “Yes, honey?”

  “You have lots of brothers and sisters, right?”

  “Yes, I have four brothers and three sisters.”

  “I’ll bet it was fun growing up with all of them.”

  A whimsical smile escaped her lips. “Most of the time.”

  Gage listened closely as he poured a glass of juice for each of the children.

  “And Dad has two brothers too. I’m glad Justin is my brother. But I wish I had another one. Then there would be three brothers in our family just like Dad’s.”

  Gage stared at him in shock. Where had that come from? Ever since she had avoided his hint about wanting more children when they were driving home from California, he’d dropped the subject.

  Just as he was about to say something, Whitney exclaimed, “No way!”

  Gage set the glass of juice down on the countertop a little too forcefully, spilling a few drops while fully expecting to be called on to referee.

  Whitney surprised him, however, by adding, “If Mom and Gage have a baby, they should have a girl. I want a sister.”

  He cleared his throat loudly, interrupting their argument.

  “Hey, guys.”

  When Zach and Whitney kept bickering back and forth, he whistled. Their mouths froze as all eyes turned to stare at him. Valerie’s face had turned white. But he couldn’t let his concern for her override the necessity to calm the children down.

  “Your mom and I aren’t having a baby.” It was better to douse the flames of that fire right now before it blazed out of control. “At least not yet. So if or when that ever happens, we’ll let you know. But it’s not like you get to choose whether we’ll have a boy or girl. Heavenly Father chooses for us. Isn’t that right, honey?” he asked, glancing at Valerie.