“So, the Aikens could have adopted both of us?” he asked.
“Not really,” she said. “They were young and couldn’t afford to have two children. And we already had Jennifer, who was only two years old. Your father had just started his own business, and we couldn’t afford all three of you. So we were each given a wonderful gift, someone to treasure forever.”
Danny couldn’t even hold the lemonade glass. He just stared at the table as Mrs. Walker continued.
“The Aikens lived over on the west side of town back then,” she said. “We didn’t see each other except when we bumped into each other at a restaurant or a movie once in a while. In fact, I never saw Tammy after they left the hospital with her. But we did keep in touch, at first by phone, and then we wrote when they moved out to the coast. And then the letters slowed down and turned into once-a-year Christmas cards. And then, eventually, that stopped, too. There really wasn’t much that we seemed to be able to say to each other.”
“So you lost touch with my twin sister?” Danny asked in disbelief.
“I’m afraid so,” said his mother quietly. “But we never really thought about her that way. We felt that we had created a family among ourselves — you and Jennifer, Dad and I. Tammy hadn’t even crossed my mind in years until you said her name the other day. I was shocked to hear that the Aikens had moved back this way.”
“They actually don’t live here,” he said. “They live in Jamestown.”
“It’s close by,” said Mrs. Walker. “I’m sure they would have been in touch with us sooner or later. Oh, I wish I’d found out before you did, Danny. You know your father and I would never do anything to hurt you.”
At that, Danny looked up. Tears were filling her eyes. There were deep wrinkles on her forehead, and she was rubbing her hands together over and over. He felt numb, but he could tell his mother was in terrible pain.
Danny got up from his seat and went over to her. He bent down and threw his arms around her and buried his face next to her cheek.
“I love you, Mom,” he said. “I know you didn’t do anything bad on purpose. Neither did Dad. You just couldn’t.”
“Oh, Danny,” she sighed, and let her tears flow.
“I’m just glad I finally know what’s been going on,” he said. “And I want to think about it.”
He kissed her. Then he went off to his room and shut the door behind him.
For a long time, the Walker house was very quiet. No sounds came from Danny’s room, where he lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. A million thoughts raced around in his head, but none of them came in for a landing.
Finally there was a tap on the door. Before he could even tell someone to come in or stay away, Jennifer announced, “It’s me, and I have food.”
Danny realized that he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, and he was hungry. He could almost hear his stomach growling at the mention of the word food. Still, he was a little nervous about talking to anyone about what he’d just found out.
He stalled. “Anything good?” he asked.
“Bologna and Swiss on rye with mustard and mayo and a half-sour pickle sliced in quarters,” she announced. “That good enough for you?”
The sound of her voice, with its slightly exasperated tone, was so familiar that Danny suddenly felt a whole lot better. No matter what had happened in the past or what might happen in the days to come, he knew who his family was. Nothing was ever going to change that.
“Okay, come on,” he called, sitting up on the edge of his bed.
Jennifer entered, handed him the plate with his sandwich, and flopped down in the chair next to his bedroom window.
“So, what do you think?” she asked.
Good old Jennifer, he said to himself with a smile. She doesn’t beat around the bush.
“Mom sent you to find out how I was?” he asked.
“Of course,” she answered. “She told me the whole story, too. Wow, I never even guessed. I thought you had a little bit of a crush on that Aiken girl. You sure didn’t hide your interest.”
“Get off it,” he said. “I just couldn’t figure out why she looked like someone I knew. It wasn’t until I saw her picture that it all really clicked. I mean, a twin sister. It sounds so weird.”
They were quiet for a moment, thinking their own thoughts. Then Jennifer cleared her throat.
“So, now that you know, I suppose you’ll be trading me in, then?” Jennifer suggested. She said it jokingly, but she didn’t look at him.
Danny started to laugh. “Not unless she washes and dries the dishes, takes out the garbage, makes my bed, and carries my lunch to school,” Danny said, munching on the last of the sandwich.
“Be my guest,” said Jennifer with a wide grin. “Good luck to the two of you!”
Danny threw a pillow in her direction but missed.
“Relax,” he said. “You’re stuck with me. Besides, Tammy doesn’t even know about me. I mean, I don’t think so. Did Mom say anything about that to you?”
“No, she said she and Dad haven’t even spoken to the Aikens since they moved back,” said Jennifer, picking up the pillow and plumping it in her lap.
“So Tammy probably doesn’t know,” said Danny. “Or maybe she does. But I don’t know if she knows, and she doesn’t know if I know.” He sighed. “Boy, is this complicated.”
He shook his head, trying to clear up the thoughts that kept bouncing around.
“What do you think?” he asked. “If I find out she doesn’t know, should I tell her?”
10
Jennifer shook her head. Danny knew there was no way she could come up with an answer to his question. “You’re on your own there, slugger,” she said. “I think you’ll just have to play it by ear.”
The word slugger reminded him: He’d be seeing Tammy the next day, at the fourth game in the championship series.
“Come on, let’s play some Wiffle ball in the backyard,” he said. “Gotta keep in shape for the game.”
Jennifer followed him out, and for the next hour or so they caroused around the yard, chasing the white plastic ball, which never went very far.
While waiting for Jennifer to shag a hit, Danny noticed his mother looking out the window. A moment later, his father appeared at her side and put his arm around her shoulders. Danny smiled, knowing everything was going to be all right.
At least with his family.
The next day, Danny got to the field early. He’d left his camera at home this time because all he wanted to do now was play baseball. Besides, it wasn’t too late to show what he could do on the diamond. He still had a chance at being picked for the county All-Stars. All he had to do was play his best. It was up to the whole team to see that the Jaguars didn’t win this one to end the series as the champs.
Danny had decided to keep the fact that Tammy was his twin sister from his teammates. So far he hadn’t said anything to anyone about it — not even Joel. The Walkers had agreed at dinner to let him decide for himself how he wanted to handle it. Jennifer was sworn to secrecy. She didn’t have to lie. She just had to keep her mouth shut about Danny and Tammy.
But she wasn’t keeping her mouth shut about her favorite baseball team.
“Come on, you Bullets!” she shouted from the stands. “You can do it!”
Danny gave her a big smile as he jogged to his spot at short. Then he crouched down to wait for the first pitch. Ike Isaacs was on the mound for the Bullets, facing Joey Sands, the Jaguars’ usual lead-off batter.
Ike started things off strong with a strikeout. But he followed it up by walking Wally Mills.
Marsha got under an outside pitch and hit a high one. Wally advanced to second before Danny pulled the ball in for the second out.
Then Ray grounded out to first to end the inning for the Jaguars, with no score yet on the board.
Before the Bullets took their turn in the batter’s box, Coach Lattizori called them into a circle outside their dugout.
“I don’t have
to tell you,” he said. “There’s a lot riding on this game. But don’t let that get in your way. Remember what you’ve learned all season, and use it. If we play hard and smart, we can tie this series up. And who knows? Some of you may get a chance to play for the All-Stars. But for now, let’s get out there and show them some hitting.”
The team took him at his word. The coach had juggled things around a little for this game so that Mike Worsley would lead off. He’d be followed by Bus Thomas, who was playing right field. Frankie Snow, at third base this game, would be the number-three batter. Ken, who was playing left field, was in the cleanup slot. Danny was in his usual fifth slot, followed by Joanne, then center fielder Joel. Larry and Ike rounded off the batting order.
Mike let a couple of real low pitches go by before he found one he liked. He belted it out to short left field for a two-bagger.
Bus came up next. He swung hard at the first pitch, which was much too high. The next one was a called strike. Then, with an 0 and 2 count, he connected with a line drive between second and third. Millie was a bit slow grabbing it, and her throw home was too late. Mike scored the first run of the game, and Bus held on second.
Eric Swan, the Jaguars’ ace southpaw, threw two strikes on Frankie before he started to unravel. The next three pitches were all way outside.
“Good eyes, Frankie,” shouted Danny from the dugout. “How to watch ‘em, buddy!”
The next pitch nearly grazed Frankie’s ankles. He dropped his bat for the trip to first, and Ken came up to bat.
With runners on first and second, Ken was a real threat. But to the Jaguars’ great relief, he tipped a half dozen foul balls. Then he struck out.
With only one out, Danny stepped into the batter’s box. He couldn’t help noticing that the Jaguars’ outfield backed up a little. It felt good to see them playing him deep.
But he surprised them with a line drive down the third base line. It looked like it might curve and fall outside the marker, but it didn’t. It was just enough to make Joey Sands, the Jaguars’ third baseman, chase it before he could stop the ball. By the time Joey was ready to throw, Bus had crossed the plate. Danny had started for second, but wisely beat it back to first before Roy could tap him out.
“C’mon, Joanne!” Danny yelled. “Send Frankie and me home!” But his hopes of scoring ended when first Joanne and then Joel popped out to short.
As he jogged in from first base, Danny couldn’t help thinking how nice those two outs would look to the All-Star scouts. Two outs in a row proved that Tammy’s playing was consistent — and that she didn’t crack under pressure.
Wonder if she’d act as cool if she knew the truth about us, he thought. But just as quickly, he pushed the thought away. We may be alike on the surface, but that could be where the similarity ends. I’ll find a way to tell her — but not until after the series is over.
Tammy was the leadoff hitter for the Jaguars in the second inning. Danny shifted from foot to foot as Tammy approached the plate. He tried to keep calm as she let the first pitch, a beauty, go by for a called strike. And then —
Crack!
He tried not to feel his heart race as he watched the ball soar into the air and then drop out of sight behind the right field fence.
A home run! She jogged round the bases without any expression on her face until she reached the plate. But she broke out in a big smile before she joined her team in their dugout.
“She’s some hot stuff, that shortstop,” said Mike from third base.
“Game’s not over,” mumbled Danny.
She’s just another player. She’s just another player. He’d thought that if he kept saying it to himself, he’d be able to concentrate on his own game.
After Tammy’s homer, Ike settled down and retired the next three Jaguar hitters to end the top of the second. The score now read Bullets 2, Jaguars 1.
The Bullets came in and took their shot at putting some more runs on the scoreboard. But they had a dismal inning. Larry was thrown out at first, Ike struck out, and then Mike hit one into the waiting glove of the Jaguars’ second baseman.
Eric Swan, the Jaguars’ first batter at the top of the third, hadn’t had a hit all series. He did pretty much what everyone expected of him. He struck out.
Then came the top of the Jaguars’ batting order. Joey Sands approached the plate with a serious look on his face. He seemed determined to get a hit. And he did. It was a clean single to short right field, a solid hit.
Wally Mills hit the ball deep into center field to put himself on base. A quick peg by Joel kept Joey on second.
“C’mon, let’s put ‘em away!” Danny cried. The team took up the chatter as Marsha came up to the plate. But the chatter died when Ike gave up a walk. The bases were now loaded. The Jaguars’ fans were screaming for a hit and some scoring.
Roy Feenie was the next batter. He let the count go to 3 and 1 before he took a swing. And then he hit the ball into the waiting glove of Frankie Snow. Joey Sands managed to slide back just in time to avoid the tag.
With bases still loaded, Tammy came up to bat.
Just another batter, just another batter, said Danny to himself. But in the back of his mind, he could just imagine what would happen to his chances of being picked county All-Star shortstop if she hit a grand-slam homer right now. How would he feel about that?
He never got a chance to find out. Tammy let two called strikes go by her before she swung and missed for the third out. With three runners left on base, the Jaguars went scoreless that inning.
The Bullets didn’t do much better. Bus got a single by putting it between short and second. But Frankie grounded out, and then Ken hit a pop fly ball that the pitcher relayed to first, catching Bus off base for a double play. The inning ended with the score still Bullets 2, Jaguars 1.
The game picked up some steam in the fourth inning. Al Norris started things going for the Jaguars with a line drive deep into right field. It took him to second base without much trouble. Millie came up next and drove him home with a sweet single into center that Joel had to run in to grab. Despite a terrific throw home, Al scored to tie the game 2–2.
With Millie on first, Drew came up and found the sweet spot on one of Ike’s breaking pitches. He connected for a solid hit that took Millie to third while he stayed on first. And there were still no outs for the Jaguars in the inning.
Eric came up to bat and the field came in a little. He woofed the first two pitches, but to everyone’s surprise, connected with the ball on the third. It sizzled toward short, but Danny was ready. He leapt, caught the ball in the air for the out, then whirled and pegged it to third. Frankie caught the ball and darted around in time to tag Millie for the double play.
The crowd roared its approval. Danny felt the blood rushing through his veins for the first time in a long while.
Joey Sands struck out to kill the Jaguars’ chances for another score that inning, and the Bullets came off the field.
“What a guy! What a guy! Mr. Double Play!” shouted Joel, coming in from center field. When he caught up with Danny, he slapped him a high five with his ungloved hand.
“Easy there,” said Danny. “I’m up at bat now.”
“I tell you, there’s just no rest for you superstars,” said Joel with a big smile on his face. Danny knew his buddy was really pleased that he’d had a good inning out on the field. Now it was time to get the Bullets going in the hitting department.
He did just that. He went to a 3 and 0 count before he found the pitch he was waiting for, but then he walloped the ball. It soared into deep left field and hit the fence before it bounced hard toward the center of the outfield.
With his legs pumping for all they were worth, Danny sped around the bases as the Jaguars’ outfield scrambled for the ball. Center fielder Al Norris finally stopped it in time to throw to third. But Danny managed to slide under the peg and touch the base safely before he was tagged. It was a nice, clean triple.
Now, that should help, Danny th
ought as he dusted off his pants. Both the team and my stats!
Joanne helped her stats, too, with a solid hit. Danny crossed the plate at the same time she landed on second with a double. The score was now Bullets 3–Jaguars 2.
Things slowed down a little when Joel Jackson, up at bat next, took three called strikes.
“Tough luck, buddy,” said Danny. “Plenty more chances, though. You’ll show ‘em.”
With one away, Eric gave up a walk to Larry Chuan. Then Ike came up to bat. Danny could hardly believe it when the Bullets’ pitcher clobbered the ball deep into right field. It was enough to bring Joanne home. Larry wisely stopped at second. Ike was out at first, but he was a happy guy as he flopped down on the bench. The Bullets’ lead had increased to two runs.
“An RBI for Ike,” said Frankie. “Dynamite!”
Up at bat next, Mike tapped a ground ball that hit the mound and bounced off toward third. Joey stopped it and threw it to second, but he was too late to catch Larry. Larry held where he was as Mike stood up on first.
Then Bus Thomas socked a line drive straight into Tammy’s mitt to end the inning. The score was Bullets 4–Jaguars 2.
In the fifth inning, the Jaguars put two players on base before their first out. Then Ike walked Tammy before striking out the next two batters. It looked as though the Jaguars were starting to run out of steam.
The Bullets, however, were just getting started. Frankie walked, Ken struck out for the second time in the game, but Danny got a clean stand-up double by hitting the ball deep into right field. It was enough to send Frankie home. The Bullets’ score went to 5 runs against the Jaguars’ 2.
Then Joanne popped one up to short for the second out. Tammy spun to toss the ball to the second baseman for the double play, but Danny wasn’t taking chances and had stayed right where he was. Their eyes met briefly, then Tammy turned and threw the ball back to the pitcher.
Double Play at Short Page 6
