by D. Camille
“Well, I’m not going to be a burden on you Momma for much longer. I have one more year of school and then I can get licensed. I’m hoping to get hired at Detroit Memorial or one of the other hospitals.”
Gina smiled. “I know you will do whatever you set your mind to, Honey. I just hope you don’t let this young man sidetrack you.”
Millie covered her face with her hands. “Henry gives me butterflies and makes me smile at him all the time.”
“I can’t wait to meet this Henry.”
Removing her hands, Millie looked at her mother. “He’s so handsome Momma. He’s tall with deep, dark brown eyes and he has a southern accent that makes me just want to listen to him talk all day.”
“He’s smart and kind,” Millie added.
Gina smiled. “And Honey is in love.”
“Momma!” Millie protested. “I haven’t known Henry that long.”
“It didn’t take me that long to recognize that I was in love with your Daddy. It’s hard not to love a good man,” her mother said quietly.
“Henry Patterson is definitely a good man…” Millie told her mother.
Chapter 7
Henry returned to his position on the line the next day much to the delight of many of his co-workers and supervisors. Working on his parts, he looked up as Bill called his name.
“How can I help you Bill?”
Bill smiled. “I’m just glad that you’re back man. That all went down so fast. I can’t believe what you did to Schmidt.”
Henry didn’t look up. “I didn’t DO anything to him. I protected myself like a man.”
Bill paused. “Well I’m glad it all worked out for you.”
“Thanks for all your concern.” Henry pinned him with a look.
Looking away, Bill said, “So what really happened with the bad parts.”
“They’re still investigating,” Henry told him. “All they know is that it wasn’t me.”
Bill nodded. “That’s good.”
Henry went back to his work as Bill continued. “At least you got all of this cleared up before the girls next game.” Henry looked quizzical. “By the way, did you leave the party early? I didn’t see you again.”
“No, I stayed for a while.”
Bill frowned. “I never did see Honey. I guess she left early.”
Tired of the games, Henry looked up. “She left with me and I took her home.”
“What? Why would you take Honey home?” Bill questioned.
Looking him in the eye, Henry answered, “That night I took her home because she needed a ride. Last night I took her home because I’m courting her.”
Bill dropped his parts. “You’re courting Honey?”
Henry answered in a clear firm voice. “Yes.”
“You didn’t even know about her a couple of weeks ago!” Bill huffed.
“Look, I’m not about to have another incident here. If you have something to say to me, you know where I’ll be after 5 pm,” Henry told him with a look before resuming his work.
At 5:01 Henry stood in line to punch his timecard. His first day back had been a regular day for the most part. Looking around, he didn’t see Bill in line so Henry finished his business before heading to his car in the parking lot. He had to pick Millie up in thirty minutes to practice with her and he didn’t plan on being late.
Henry opened the door just as he heard his name called. He dropped his lunch bag inside and closed the door as Bill approached.
“What can I do for you Bill?” Henry asked impatiently.
“Why Honey?” Bill demanded.
Henry gave him a look. “You really don’t know?”
Bill angered. “You said you didn’t like girl ballplayers. You didn’t even want to go to the game.”
“Look Bill, I’m not about to explain myself.” Henry opened the car door. “You’ve never even talked to the girl.”
“You knew I was going to,” Bill accused.
Henry shrugged. “Not my place to wait for you.” He turned to Bill. “Listen Bill, I didn’t go after Honey on purpose, things just happened.”
Bill frowned. “I’m not just going to lie down and let you have her!”
Henry lifted a brow. “Pardon me?”
“You heard me.” Bill stepped closer and Henry looked him over. “I saw her first!”
Henry nodded. “Tell you what Bill, if you think you can get Honey…give it your best shot.”
Bill watched as Henry climbed into his car and started the ignition. Henry looked at his watch then at Bill before he rolled the window down.
“I’m about to pick her up. Would you like me to give her a message for you?” Henry asked then waited as Bill walked away angrily. He shook his head before leaving to pick up Millie.
Henry smiled as he pulled in front of her house and found her sitting on the porch. He exited the car and Millie watched his confident stride as he approached. He’d unbuttoned his work shirt and the sides hung open showing a snug, crisp white T-shirt stretched across his broad chest. He reached the stairs and looked her over in practice clothes.
“Hello Millie,”
She smiled. “Hi Henry.”
“Am I late?” he asked.
Millie shook her head. “No, I decided to wait out here to avoid Maggie.”
He nodded. “Are you ready to go?”
She agreed and he grabbed the bat, ball and gloves she had sitting next to her. When she stepped down from the porch, Henry stood looking down at her.
“Are you happy to see me?” he whispered.
Millie nodded watching him as he lowered his head to hers. “Yes?” he asked.
“Yes…” she answered.
“I’m happy to see you too Millie,” he said before briefly touching his lips to hers.
Henry lifted his head and she opened her eyes slowly. Taking her hand, he walked her to the vehicle and opened the passenger door for her. While she settled inside, Henry placed the items on the back seat then took his spot in the driver’s seat of the Lincoln Continental Coupe.
Henry started the car then turned on the radio station that she liked before driving to the field. Millie sat back in the supple seat and enjoyed both the ride and the company. She began to sing along to the Motown hits as he drove.
Laughing, she looked over at him as he parked the car. “Sing with me Henry! With that voice, I know you can sing.”
The intro to “My Girl” by the Temptations began to play and Henry turned to her. Before Millie knew what happened, Henry was giving lead singer, David Ruffin a definite run for his money. When he hit the second verse, all she could do was stop and stare at him.
I've got so much honey
The bees envy me
I've got a sweeter song
Than the birds in the trees
Well, I guess you say
what can make me feel this way
My girl, Talkin bout my girl
My girl
Henry took her hand during the break then finished with a flourish.
I don't need no money, fortune or fame
I got all the riches baby, one man can claim
Well, I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl…
When he ended, Henry took her hand and kissed her palm. “You’re my girl Millie?” he asked.
Millie leaned over to his seat and kissed him softly. “Yes sir, Henry Patterson.”
“Let’s play some baseball,” he told her.
Henry and Millie made their way to the field holding hands and carrying the equipment. Henry had removed his work shirt and now stood clad in his white T-Shirt and work pants. He headed to the mound with one of the gloves and a softball while Millie went to the plate.
She looked serious as she got in her familiar stance. Henry watched her poke out her butt as she lifted the bat and smiled. “Ready?” he called and she nodded.
He wound up and threw a ball that sailed past Millie before she could even swing. It hi
t the back fence and Millie frowned at him. “We don’t throw that fast,” she complained.
“Get the ball Millie,” Henry instructed and she turned and retrieved it then threw it back to him.
Henry wound up again and threw the ball. This time Millie managed to swing but missed it entirely. She hit her bat against the ground. “You’re throwing too fast Henry.”
“If you can hit these, hers will look slow.” He told her. “Now get the ball please.”
Millie frowned harder while getting the ball and throwing it back to him. He caught it solidly in his glove and waited for her to get into her stance.
“Relax and watch the ball Millie,” he said preparing for the pitch.
Ten pitches later and Millie still hadn’t connected with the ball. “I don’t think this was a good idea,” she yelled to him after getting the ball yet again.
Henry walked over to the plate. “You’re thinking too hard.” He handed her the ball. “Pitch it to me. Let me show you.”
He watched her walk out to the mound and turn to him. Millie looked at his stance at the plate and the determination in his brown eyes. “Pitch the ball,” he called to her.
Millie wound up and sent the pitch. She heard the crack of the bat then watched the ball sail across the field and land outside the park. She turned back to his smiling face. “That’s how you concentrate and hit the ball,” he bragged.
Millie frowned. “Get the ball Henry!”
He laughed and jogged out to where the ball had landed. When he returned he could see the fire in her eyes. “You think you can hit it now?” he asked standing on the mound.
She got into her stance. “Pitch the ball,” she gritted out.
Two pitches later, Millie got her first hit on Henry’s ball. She flipped her bat in the air and screamed. “Yesssss!” Henry got the ball and came back to the mound.
“Can you do it again though?” he taunted.
“Pitch the ball country boy!”
Henry nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
By the time they were done, Millie had been able to hit more of his pitches than not. He joined her at the plate handing her the ball. “Good job Millie.”
“Thank you. I’m so tired. You tried to kill me,” she complained wiping her brow.
He smiled. “You’ll thank me after the game.”
“We’ll see,” she told him. “I’m going to be so mad at you if I strike out.”
Henry put an arm around her shoulders. “Honey is going to destroy that pitcher.”
“Honey is ready to fall out,” she said pouting.
Henry easily lifted her into his arms with her holding the bat and ball. “Henry!” she laughed.
“Come on pretty woman, let me take your tired self to the car.”
Millie held on and placed her head on his shoulder. “Thank you Henry.”
At the vehicle, they both climbed inside and Millie sat back and closed her eyes as Henry drove. He pulled up to the White Castle restaurant then turned to Millie who’d fallen asleep. Shaking his head, he went inside and returned with bags of food. Henry drove to her house without her stirring.
Millie had been lulled to sleep by the smooth motion of the car. Her nose inhaled a scent that made her stomach awaken. She opened her eyes as Henry parked in front of her house. Groggily she looked around.
“I’m home?” she asked wiping her eyes.
Henry turned to her. “Yes ma’am. You’re the sleepy head this time.”
“I had to swing at fifty pitches in a row. That’s tiring.”
“For a girl,” Henry teased.
Millie wrinkled her nose at him, then smelled food again. “What’s that smell?”
He nodded towards the back seat. “I stopped and got us some food.”
She smiled as he grabbed the bags and brought them to the front. He also grabbed a carrier with two drinks. “I got you a milkshake too.”
“Strawberry?” she asked hopefully.
He nodded. “I took a wild guess that’s what you’d like.” Henry handed her the drink and she took a long draw on the straw.
“Oh, Henry…mmmmmmm.” She took another long sip and he watched her. “This is sooooo good.”
He reached into the bag and handed her some of the aromatic little cheeseburgers.
“I love these,” she commented taking a bite.
They enjoyed the burgers, fries and milkshakes while the radio played. Millie looked at him from behind her drink. “How was your first day back at work?”
Henry finished his burger and looked at her. “Basically it was the same. No problems.”
“Good,” she smiled and went back to her food.
“I’m looking forward to our date,” Henry told her quietly.
Millie paused. “I am too.”
“Is there anywhere in particular that you’d like to go?”
She shook her head shyly. “Wherever you take me is fine.”
“I want it to be nice for you,” he said putting his drink aside.
“It will be,” Millie said assuredly.
He touched her face. “It will be for me too Millie. Something that I’ll never forget.”
She blushed. “You know how to make a girl feel special.”
“I know when a girl is special,” he corrected.
The pair finished the food and drinks then sat listening to the crooning through the radio as the sun began to lower in the sky. Millie held onto Henry’s strong hand as she watched the orange-red sky.
“My Momma wants to meet you,” Millie told him.
“Tonight?” he asked.
“No, she won’t be home until really late. When you pick me up for our date, she’ll be here.” Millie explained.
He agreed. “I’ll be here.”
“Do you have lots of family back in Mississippi?” she asked.
“I have a mother, a father and a grandmother. A few half siblings, distant cousins and so forth,” he informed her.
“Are you planning to go back?”
Henry lifted a brow. “Not to live. My life is here in Detroit now.”
“What’s it like there?” Millie asked. “I’ve never been out of Detroit.”
He looked straight ahead out of the windshield. “It’s different. There was Jim Crow laws down there.”
“That’s the laws that make everything separate,” Millie commented.
Henry nodded. “There’s colored this and colored that. You can’t do this and you can’t do that. There’s a law against everything a black person does and it seems they make up more every day.”
“I’d still love to see where you grew up,” Millie said watching him.
He turned to her and stared into her pretty face. “Maybe one day when Jim Crow is really abolished, we could go there.” He paused. “I wouldn’t want you to come now. It’s not a pretty sight in some places and I’d be worried about you.”
“I understand,” she said sadly.
They sat in a comfortable silence, both thinking about the events surrounding them and their people in this country.
After a little while, Millie turned and smiled sweetly at him. “Do you want to come inside?”
Henry checked his watch. “I should go home and let you get some rest.”
“You made me work hard today,” she pointed out.
He smiled. “I made Honey get better.”
She laughed. “We’ll see in a few days.”
“I won’t see you again until the game, Millie. I don’t want to interrupt your focus,” Henry told her and she pouted.
“I won’t see you?” she asked.
“You gotta be prepared,” he told her. “This is your championship and you worked hard to get here.”
Millie sat back against the seat. The thought of not seeing Henry for the next three days didn’t sit well with her.
“Don’t do that,” he admonished softly.
“Do what?”
He turned her face to him. “Break my heart.”
“I
want to see you Henry…”
He placed a finger on her lips. “Why don’t we compromise? I’ll call you…every day.” He offered.
“You don’t want to see me?” she asked confused.
“Millie, if I had my way, I’d see your pretty face every single day.” He touched her cheek. “We both know you need to focus.”
“I want you to have your dreams and I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” He moved to her jaw.
She smiled at him in gratitude. It made her heart sing that Henry cared about what she wanted and supported her.
“Do I have to wait three days for you to kiss me again?” she asked holding his eyes.
Henry gathered her into his arms. “No ma’am.”
Chapter 8
The day of the championship game, Millie was nervous as usual. She hadn’t seen Henry in the crowd at the start of the game while she’d played the infield. Now as she sat on the bench waiting for her turn to bat, she continued to search the crowd for him.
“Calm down Honey. The game just started,” Irma told her.
Millie turned to her. “He’s not here yet. He said he’d be here.”
“It’s crowded. Maybe he’s finding a parking spot,” Irma offered.
Millie searched the crowd again to no avail.
Irma looked too. “Well your stalker made it on time,” she commented.
“I see him Irma.” Millie frowned.
“Well it’s my turn to bat,” Irma stood. “Get ready, you’re coming up.”
Millie bent and rested her chin in her hands. Where was Henry? It wasn’t like him to be late. They’d talked on the phone last night and he’d encouraged her to play well. He’d promised he would be at the game…so where was he?
******
Henry looked at his watch then over at the woman. “I have to go now.”
She turned to him. “Already?”
He nodded. “I’ve been here for a while,” he pointed out.
She pouted. “I wish you could stay.” Changing to a smile, she said, “You’re coming back right?”
“Later,” he confirmed.
“You’ve been incredible Henry,” she complimented. “These last few days you’ve provided everything I needed.”
