Stranded at Third (GAME TIME SERIES)

by Blue Stour

  After dinner, which had been non-stop baseball chatter between the boy and his father, they went next door for ice cream. Talk moved on to topics such as school, girls, back to baseball, and then future goals before they left. Kade didn’t want their time to end, and neither did she.

  Not only had Michelle been alone during her pregnancy and K.T.’s birth, but she had raised an exceptional boy all by herself. That kind of guilt was something Kade knew he would have to deal with for plenty of time to come, but not now. . . . not while he was getting to know his son and not while he was figuring how the hell he could have another chance with the love of his life.

  Kade figured he was the son-of-a-bitch who left her like he had over a decade ago and didn’t blame her for keeping K.T. to herself. He wouldn’t have been any good for the kid back then, anyways. He wasn’t even good for himself back at that point in time.

  Finally, he saw things differently. The two-time all-American finally knew the reason he banged whoever was willing. He had been trying to fill the void left by the brunette sitting across from him. Kade knew the reason he went from place to place. He had refused to return home because it only meant he’d see her mirage everywhere.

  “Kade, would you like to come over?” Michelle shyly asked. “It sounds like you two have a lot more catch…I mean it sounds like you two have a lot in common and aren’t finished talking.”

  Thank God it was Michelle who had birthed his child and not someone like his ex-wife Dara or one of the easy lays along the way. He’d be thankful for that, everyday.

  Almost immediately, he started to think of them as a family. Finally, he actually knew what dream meant. Honestly, the first day he found out about K.T. was when he saw forever with the three of them.

  Following another day spent with Michelle and K.T. he found himself dreading the moment he had to leave. In just a matter of a few short weeks the bond between son and father was definitely there. Things with Michelle had moved slightly slower. Not that he blamed her apprehension, but he hoped she would allow him back into her heart.

  There were times he had caught her looking at him and he’d put money on it that it was love looking back at him. There were days where he felt guilty over his past and the many women it included. Then, there were days he was thankful for his player ways. Never had he allowed another woman as close as he had Michelle. Never had he actually loved another woman. Hopefully, one day she’d understand it and in turn allow him back into not only K.T.’s life but hers as well.

  K.T. was off to Juan’s for a sleep over, most likely nonstop Xbox and horror movies again.

  “You want me to go?” he asked Michelle and hoped like hell her answer was no. “I was hoping we could talk about us, alone, maybe?”

  Kade watched as that familiar blush arose on her cheeks. It had only been a minute but waiting for her reply felt like hours.

  Chapter 16

  Sitting on the couch, as comfortable as if they’d never been apart. In his eyes, she was the same girl he had spent so many days admiring. In her eyes, he wasn’t a superstar; Kade was, well, just her Kade.

  “So, I know nothing about you,” she began. “What have you been up to . . . forever, your parents; fill me in?”

  “Well, there’s not much to tell, really,” Kade modestly started. “I played ball at U.S.A. for four years, got drafted by the Cubs, blew out my knee the day before I was supposed to make my big-league debut. Then, I got married . . . no love, whatsoever, just a HUGE mistake; it was annulled three months later. I sold cars for a while, substitute taught, coached, and umpired for a few years, and now I’m teaching third grade at Sumey Elementary and umpiring.”

  That was the quick version of his life since her. Even though it was brief, there wasn’t much more to tell. At least nothing he was particularly proud of and certainly nothing she wanted Michelle to think about. Hell, he’d tried forgetting half of his behavior throughout the years.

  “Oh, my mom is great, and my dad died in a car accident a couple of years ago,” he abruptly continued. “But, tell me about you.”

  “I’m so sorry, Kade; I didn’t know,” Michelle apologized. “Does she still live in Tazewell?”

  It wasn’t the generic asking because it was expected or the polite thing to do. No, it was Michelle being Michelle and he had no doubts had she had heard she would’ve paid his mother a visit by now.

  “Yeah, she’ll live in that house forever. I talk to her on the phone, a lot, but don’t get back too often. I love it here; speaking of which, why are you here?”

  “Well, long story; ready?” She said with that perfectly shy smile. “I was married, too. Are you sure you’re completely divorced, Kade?”

  Her big brown eyes that had haunted him since his youth were right there, squinting back at him.

  With a laugh, Kade swore that he hadn’t seen Dara in years, nor did he ever want to, again. Amidst his innocent laughter, he also mentioned that he had no kids while asking her the same.

  “Okay, I just don’t want some crazy woman stalking you over here. We moved here because my ex, John, got a job at the oil refinery. After the divorce, we stayed. The people are great and I didn’t want to uproot him from his friends.” ‘Chelle said. “No, I don’t any have any more children; K.T. is handful enough. John didn’t want kids, which turned out to be a blessing since we were only married three years.”

  “Three years?” Kade snickered. “That seems like a lifetime compared to three months.”

  “And no, I don’t see him, ever, either,” Michelle interrupted. “I believe he lives in Washington, now; where he’s from.”

  “How’d he get along with K.T.,” Kade took his turn to interrupt. “He’s really a great kid, Mom.”

  “Yeah, well, they didn’t,” she added with a frown. “K.T. didn’t really like him; they had nothing in common and John wouldn’t make an effort to like his world. It’s been like living with you for the past ten years, Kade. You cannot deny him.”

  “Does he know?” Kade proudly asked.

  “No; I told him his father left us when he was a baby.”

  “But, I’m here, Michelle! I’ve thought of you damn near everyday for sixteen years. Yeah, I was completely an immature asshole. But, Michelle, if you’ll take me back, I’m not letting you go, ever again! I want you for . . . you and K.T. forever!”

  “I’ve thought of you so much, too,” she enthusiastically mentioned. “When I got married, I almost didn’t walk down the aisle because of you. K.T. was six at the time and I, well, I guess I settled. I was done waiting for someone to love me as much as I loved him.”

  Kade’s pride was at an all-time high. More than any home run he had ever hit, more than any accolade he ever earned on the field, the elder Toney was looking at his future. Undoubtedly, his unrealized dream was no dream at all. His dream was Michelle and K.T.

  “Michelle,” he said as he took her hand and leaned closer to her, “I’ve ran from so much in my life. I know I have a lot of proving to do to you, to K.T. But, you’re my destiny. I have and I did love you. I just wasn’t capable of looking past baseball. You had me from “Hello;” remember Lionel Richie’s ‘Hello’?”

  The two laughed and inched closer to each other as they recalled their first dance. If he was being sincere, she thought, he was feeling as comfortable as she was. Assuredly, it was her destiny, too. Yet, so many years apart had her wondering if she could trust her instincts with the father of her son or not.

  “Kade,” she reluctantly uttered as she fought off the tears after he surprised her with a deep, passionate kiss. “You can’t do this; NOT if you’re not true. Kade, I’m NOT one of your groupies. More importantly, K.T. doesn’t deserve to know what you did.”

  “Michelle, I never even knew about K.T. You never told me! I know I fucked up, GOD I know it, every minute of every day, ‘Chelle
. I want you and K.T. more than I ever wanted baseball; you know that’s saying a ton, right there. If I have to prove it for the rest of forever, I will prove how serious I am. Let me love you; let me love K.T. Dammit, we deserve to have each other!”

  It may have been eleven years since he had felt her touch, but he recognized her tell tale sign that affected him more than anything ever had. Seeing the same girl he had always loved all through the years biting her bottom lip was all he needed to see to know that she was giving in.

  Without saying a word, he stood before her. Unsure what she would think, he picked her up and carried her into her bedroom.

  “I’ve always loved you, ‘Chelle,” he voiced in a barely-audible tone as he stood with her in his arms and their foreheads connected.

  Chapter 17

  Laying her on the bed he began undressing her without speaking a word. Her tank slipped over her head in seconds, and the pink lace bra soon followed. Michelle’s body had filled out nicely over the years, rounded in the right areas-no doubt carrying his child assisted in that.

  Michelle lifted his t-shirt and tossed it aside with no care to its landing. Standing, he disposed of his own pants as well as hers. Michelle smirked as she watched his gaze lock onto the small triangle covering the juncture of her thighs.

  Resting his body partially on top of hers felt so right. How she missed the feel of Kade’s naked flesh against her own. She was pinned to the bed and hadn’t remembered the last time she had felt so alive. Looking into his face she knew the moment he felt it, too.

  This time it was Michelle who took the lead and kissed Kade with pure abandonment. A kiss so heated it practically screamed passion, only breaking to gasp a breath as Kade made his route down her neck and across her breasts. Slipping his hand between her legs, he worked her the way he remembered she liked. Two of his fingers prodded her as he applied pressure with the heel of his hand pressing on her clit. Knowing she was nearing detonation Kade hugged her close and rolled them.

  Raising herself on her knees Kade watched as he steered himself inside of her. Michelle’s body had to stretch to accept him.

  “Damn Chelle, you’re tight as hell.” Rocking slowly, she cupped her breasts and toyed with her nipples as Kade watched her and guided her hips in a steady rhythm. A fullness just shy of pain ran through her body from her sex on.

  Her body loved him; her heart had never stopped loving him. If only Kade felt the same way but she knew she’d never turn him away, no matter what.

  Kade pulled her down so they were chest to chest. He raised his hips to meet her, rocking with his thrusting. His tongue slid up her neck and around the sensitive spot just behind her ear.

  Their tempo only increased. Kade could think of nothing but how he’d never walk away from her again. That was where he belonged, and she belonged to him, dammit.

  Michelle clenched her interior muscles. Quickly, Kade begged her to stop.

  “Oh my god! Don’t stop…please do-” she begged when Kade took her by the waist and held tight as her body vibrated with satisfaction. Her pussy tightened as she tried drawing him deeper and deeper as her orgasm rolled over her.

  “Fuck Chelle. Damn, I love you.” Then, she felt him come. Pulsing inside of her, Kade’s thick heat filled her. Lost in the euphoric feeling of it all, she wondered as she floated down if he had realized what he had said.

  Better yet, if he had meant it?

  Jesus, she hoped so.

  Chapter 18

  The following summer, the diamond great was 36 years old and finally living a true dream. Kade found himself where he should have been all along. His high school sweetheart got him to first base, and then he ventured off to second. Now, he was finally back with his true love; his wife of just three months, mother of his eleven-year-old son, and a belly swollen with his baby girl. Maybe there were four bases in the sport he grew up with, but Kade never planned to walk away from his third shot at happiness.

  Screaming from the stands, his bride was soaking in her life’s constant sunshine, even on that overcast day. Michelle was watching the love of her life, her son’s father and one hell of a man, passionately coaching his little-league son.

  “C’mon, K.T.” his coach and father screamed from the third base coaching box. “You got this, son; only good pitches.”

  K.T. was now the envy of all his classmates, like his father had been. The nearly-12-year-old boy had all of the ability and smarts of his father, and now he enjoyed the best of a home life, too. Much more outgoing than his father was as a boy, K.T. was well on his way to following in his father’s footsteps.

  “Hit it hard, honey,” a mom yelled from the stands.

  “Nothing above the hands, K.T.” another father encouraged from the bleachers.

  With twenty-some fans in attendance, mostly parents and siblings, K.T. stepped to the plate. Having hit two balls off of the fence earlier in the game, the left-handed youngster was thinking one thing.

  Since the score was knotted at eight in the bottom of the sixth and final inning, Kane knew if he hit a dinger he would be a hero. That, indeed, was what the 5’3” star intended to do as he stepped up to the plate.

  “K.T.!” Kade yelled from the third-base coaching box to get his son’s attention and demonstrate the proper swing mechanics before his turn at bat. “Remember, when you stride with your front foot and swing, I want you to keep your hip closed as you swing through the ball. You do NOT need a big stride with your right foot. Got it?”

  With a confident glare and affirmative nod, K.T. stepped his front foot into the batter’s box, letting the umpire know he was ready. A tilt of his batting helmet and a couple of practice swings later, the pitcher uncorked the first pitch of the last inning.

  High and inside, the pitch backed K.T. out and buzzed by his chin. As fans exaggeratedly gasped, the umpire casually made his call.

  “Ball.”

  The second pitch was perfect. Basically, it was what older players called a cock-shot. The pitch was belt high and over the heart of the plate.

  However, as an 11-year old, Kade had pre-determined that he was not going to swing. The child watched as he listened for the umpire’s dreaded word.

  The man behind home plate in a mask slowly pointed his right hand. Simultaneously, he bellowed.

  “STTEEERRRIIIIIIKKKKKEE ONE!”

  With the count 1-1, the opposing 11-year-old fire-baller uncorked another cock shot. This time, though, K.T. took a rip.

  While the ball was sailing through the air, the soon-to-be middle-school student was running to first base. As he ran, he was watching the flight of the ball headed over the right field fence, directly in front of him.

  The right fielder was sprinting to where he thought the ball would land. His not-even-five-foot-tall strides were in no way going to catch the moon-shot. Regardless, he was running his little heart off as if he were Willie Mays, himself.

  Jumping up and down with parents screaming wildly, chaos was taking over the ballpark. As K.T. approached first base, he readied to high-five the first-base coach. Meanwhile, the umpire deflated all of the balloons.

  “FOUL BALLLLLL!!” He screamed as the ball sailed over the fence, about ten feet foul. “The count’s one-and-two on the batter.”

  All of the cheers and wild enthusiasm immediately turned to grunts and groans. The other side of the bleachers, however, began to cheer after exhaling a huge sigh of relief. The ball obviously had plenty of home-run distance, proving K.T.’s inherited strength for his age. Unfortunately for him and his teammates, it wasn’t even a dozen feet foul.

  “That’s okay, Tommy,” the opposing coach encouraged his ace from the bench. “That’s just a long strike; one more to go!”

  With all of the excitement, K.T. couldn’t help but wear his proud grin as he returned to the batter’s box. Soaking up
the glamour and attention, he picked up his bat, slowly. After spitting a couple of times, he shot his dad a look in the coaching box.

  Kade, meanwhile, had already seen everything that the sport could offer through his own award-laden baseball career. Just being able to see his 11-year old experience the same opportunities that he went through was better than any of his own accomplishments he had ever earned; it truly was spine-tingling. To watch his little man feel the exact same enthusiastic moments that he experienced on the diamonds made him feel blessed.

  Kade just shot K.T. a loving, what-do-you-do look after the long foul. As he raised his eyebrows, shrugged his shoulders, and lifted his open palms, Dad was nothing but encouraging.

  As usual, Kade kept priorities where they should be with his child.

  Not one time had he ever placed any importance on winning. If his players had fun and wanted to put forth their best effort, winning would take care of itself, he often told them.

  “What you gonna do, buddy?” he yelled, continuing his sympathetic signs to his young batter. “Same thing, now, just like last swing; keep your hip closed. Put the bat on the ball. We don’t need a home run, son.”

  K.T. dug his cleats into the dirt. The pitcher took a deep breath as he prepared to possibly strike out the league’s best 11-year old. With adrenaline racing through the veins of everyone there, the umpire then gave his pre-pitch commandment after a dead ball.

  “PLAY BALL!”

  After placing his heels against the rubber, the pitcher was ready to pitch to the anxious youngster. Trying boyish intimidation, K.T. looked dead in the pitcher’s eyes.

  As the opposing flamethrower stepped back, beginning his delivery, K.T. raised his bat higher. The incoming pitch was headed down the center of the plate. With the exception of it being chest high, it would have been another cock-shot. Even though it was not a strike, K.T. couldn’t resist.

  As aggressive as his father had played the game, K.T. began his swing. His dad climbed to his tiptoes, mouthing “NO!” He knew the pitch was well above the strike zone.