Extra Innings

by Stevens, Lynn

  Every cuss word in the book flew out of my mouth.

  “What’s wrong?” my mother shouted as she pushed her way through the guys that circled me. She saw my knee and screeched, “You’re going to the hospital. Now.”

  I clenched my jaw. “I’m fine, Mom.” Daniel poured more alcohol over it and I bit my lip to keep my mouth shut. “It’s not that big a deal.”

  “But –”

  “Trust me.” I saw her through the gathering tears in my eyes. To say that my knee hurt was an understatement. I wanted to scream at Daniel to cut the damned thing off. I gritted my teeth and suffered the burning sensation that spread to my toes.

  It stopped bleeding and burning after the alcohol bath. Mom sat behind me, letting me lean against her while Daniel doctored me. That huge amount of blood came from one small cut in the center of one huge rug burn. Daniel put ointment on it and covered the entire thing with gauze and tape.

  “Come on, Vicky,” Mom said as she stood up. “Let’s get you home.”

  “I’m okay, Mom.” I jumped up and held back any hint of pain when I landed. “I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

  She glanced around and saw somebody in the crowd. Without looking back at me, she said, “I’ll see you at six.”

  My mother started to walk away, and I reached out and hugged her for a moment. When I let go, I said, “Daniel and I will be there at six.”

  She nodded and disappeared into the crowd. I teetered a bit, but Daniel steadied me.

  “Oh, I like this,” he said, grinning like a raccoon.

  “You like that I’m in pain?”

  “No, never.” He put his arm around my waist and leaned in. “But I like that you have to let me drive.” I wanted to smack him as he laughed. “Don’t put any pressure on it yet. Hey, Adam, can you get the other side?”

  “What’re you going to do? Carry me?” This was getting ridiculous.

  “You know, that is not a bad idea.” He lifted me an inch off the ground.

  “Stop, please,” I said as I laughed. If Wakefield hadn’t been there, I would’ve enjoyed the idea.

  Daniel nodded to Adam and they put their arms around me. Reggie walked behind us carrying our equipment. We barely made it out of the dugout before Wakefield descended.

  “Miss Hudson, are you okay?” he asked, walking alongside Adam with a digital recorder stuck in my face.

  I ignored him.

  “Any comments on the game then?” he pushed.

  “Actually, yeah.” Daniel and Adam tensed. They stared at me with mouths open. I smirked and leaned closer to Wakefield’s recorder so he wouldn’t miss a word. “That was one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever seen. Adam Marshall’s no-hitter should definitely be reported in your paper. I hope you do it justice.”

  “Thanks, Vic.” Adam beamed.

  “What happened to your leg?” Wakefield was drooling now. I’d given him a bone.

  “No comment,” I said, smiling my best good-little-girl smile. “Come on, guys.”

  “How did your mother react when she saw Mr. Cho’s hands all over you?” he pressed.

  Daniel started to turn toward Wakefield.

  “Don’t,” I said with too much bite. I leaned forward and said as sugar as possible, “Mr. Wakefield, you have my comment on the game. Any other questions will receive my standard ‘no comment.’ Have a nice day.”

  Daniel’s body felt like a rock. Well, more so than usual. Wakefield, always the professional, stayed with us until we were almost to the car. Then he asked, “How does your father feel about your relationship?”

  “Keep going,” Adam whispered as he picked up the pace. “Ignore him, Daniel. He’s just trying to get a rise out of you.”

  Reggie stepped in between Wakefield and Adam. He started asking Wakefield where he got his suits and a bunch of other crap that Reggie really didn’t want to know.

  “I’d really like to smack the daylights out of that guy,” Daniel muttered.

  “And that’s what he wants. You’d feed right into his hands.” My right foot bumped the ground, sending a jolt of hurt into my knee. “Just get me home, please.”

  Daniel took Adam to Hansen’s first. The guys planned an impromptu party in his honor. I felt horrible for missing it, so did Daniel. He knew the situation and was okay with it. We only had an hour and a half before Daniel and I were expected at Chez Hudson. He was quiet as he stopped in front of his house. I waited while he ran inside to grab his stuff.

  We were a block from Grandma’s when he finally said something. “Does your dad know I’m half Korean?”

  “Not this again,” I murmured. “I’m sure he does. I’m also fairly certain he knows your entire family history.” I reached over and squeezed his knee. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess.”

  “No, you aren’t.” He smiled for a brief second.

  “Why do you say that?”

  He put his hand over mine. “Because I’m not sorry. Neither should you be.” He pulled into the driveway behind Charles’ truck. That made me raise my eyebrows. He stared at the faded bumper sticker on the truck’s tailgate. “Vic, before we go inside ...”

  I poked him in the side. “What?”

  He took both of my hands and kissed the backs of them. “I just don’t want this to fall apart. For any reason.”

  “This? As in us?”

  He nodded.

  I leaned over and kissed him. Then I lied. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

  TOP OF THE 8TH

  I knew that it wasn’t going to be fine and that thought ate at me as I showered. Nothing was ever fine when my father was involved. He would try to ruin my relationship with Daniel just as he tried to control every aspect of my life. I couldn’t let that happen.

  Grandma rebandaged my knee while Daniel showered. It was easier that he got ready at my house. Then I didn’t need to drive back and get him after I’d dropped him off.

  The scrape-slash-cut throbbed, but the pain was minimal. Grandma used a home remedy, which was basically aloe mixed with something that smelled rather pretty, instead of over the counter ointment.

  I let Daniel drive again. Grandma and Charles were asked to show up at seven, but, knowing my grandmother, she was planning on getting there at six-thirty. Charles looked relieved that their relationship was out in the open.

  This time, Daniel knew to park in the back. Lilly wasn’t in the kitchen when we walked in. Daniel followed me as I led us into the hallway and toward the sound of light conversation in the sitting room. Mom and Lilly sat on the couch, staring at some binder resting on my mother’s lap. The early evening sun bounced off the pool.

  “Um, hi, Mom,” I said.

  She looked up then glanced at her watch. “Oh, it’s already six.” She handed Lilly the binder. “Here, Lil. You’re right, of course.”

  Lilly smiled as she hurried out of the room. I knew what just happened. Mom didn’t want something Lilly had already made. Lilly let my mother look at the menu and Mom would concede that Lilly made the right choice. Same old story.

  “Please, have a seat,” Mom said like we were international dignitaries.

  “Where’s Joba?” I asked since my dog didn’t come running up to knock me over. I missed him.

  Mom waved her hand like it wasn’t a big deal. “He’s at the kennel spa for his monthly grooming.” She regained her formal posture.

  “Are you okay, Mom?” I asked as Daniel and I sat on the cushy loveseat.

  Mom smoothed her skirt and moved into a wingback chair. “Yes, I’m fine. How’s your knee?”

  I didn’t like this stiff, formal tone she’d adopted toward me. “Much better,” I said with an abnormal amount of perk. “Grandma put some special ointment on it.”

  “Ah, I see.” She recrossed her legs. It was like her back had an invisible wall behind it. It was only making me, and Daniel, more uncomfortable. “So, Daniel, where do you go to school?”

  “Lincoln High.” He stared at her, ready for
the challenge.

  “And when will you be graduating?”

  Daniel smirked. “I’ll be a senior this year.”

  “I see.” She fake smiled. “What about after graduation? Do you have any plans?”

  “Yes.”

  She stared at him, waiting for more to the answer. Daniel didn’t say anything. He was playing her game. As a politician’s wife, my mother knew better than to give away more than what was asked. Granted, she did pull this off with a lot more grace than Daniel, but at least he was trying to go toe to toe with her.

  “What do you intend to study?” she asked through gritted teeth.

  “Medicine.” Daniel tilted his head as if to say “and what do you think about that.” It was sexy the way he challenged her. I hoped he could do the same against the Senator.

  Mom’s resolved weakened and she smiled naturally at him. “That’s a wonderful career. Have you narrowed your focus, or do you plan on waiting until med school to determine that?”

  Please don’t say gynecologist. Please don’t say gynecologist, I repeated, hoping he could telepathically hear me.

  “Probably pediatrics.”

  Really? I wonder if that’s true or just a rouse.

  They continued chatting about Daniel’s future when I realized that this was the first time I’d heard it in this much detail. He really had it all planned out. He even had contingency plans if anything failed. Maybe we didn’t know each other that well.

  “Vicky will be attending Mizzou, of course,” Mom stated. She lifted her chest with alumni pride.

  “Really?” He flicked his eyes at me.

  I told him that. Didn’t I?

  “She’ll major in law of course.” Now she just looked smug.

  “You, a lawyer?” Daniel’s stance weakened. She had caught him off guard.

  “Oh, you didn’t know?” Mom mocked surprise. Maybe there was a hint of real surprise, but I doubted it.

  “We’ve only been dating for a few weeks, Mom,” I said.

  “Really?” Now she really was faking her shock. “I thought it had been much longer.”

  My mother looked ugly to me. Absolutely hideous. I hit her where it would hurt. “Nope, guess your intel was wrong there. And I don’t know if law is what I want to do. Maybe social work.”

  My mother’s cool façade disappeared. Championship roses could wilt under the glare she gave me. Daniel squirmed, and I crossed my fingers in hopes that reinforcements would soon arrive. He cleared his throat and a light bulb went off above my mother’s head. Her face resumed the normal elegant trophy wife perfection.

  “Oh, forgive me. Would you like something to drink? Some lemonade perhaps?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she stood and walked out of the room.

  “Do you feel like you just got ran over by a Mack truck?” Daniel asked.

  “I didn’t know you wanted to be a kid’s doctor. And I didn’t know you were going for a cross country scholarship –”

  “I didn’t know you wanted to be a social worker.”

  “Well, yeah. I’ve always wanted to help people, but even more now after working on the Habitat house. My parents want me to follow the family business and be a lawyer. I’m starting to think that’s not for me.” I took his sweaty hand. “Do you really want to be a pediatrician?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “I think that’s pretty cool.”

  He relaxed and grinned. “So does your mom.”

  Lilly walked in behind Mom with a tray of lemonade. Fresh lemon slices floated around the ice.

  “Your father should be here any minute,” Mom stated as if I asked the question. “He stopped by the office to get some papers.”

  More like to get a dossier on Daniel’s family.

  “Daniel, I’m really looking forward to meeting your parents. I’m surprised that I haven’t run into them at any of your games.” Mom was back in politician wife mode. Whatever points Daniel scored in the opening round, they no longer counted. “Tell me a little about them.”

  I’d never thought about why Daniel’s Mom and Dad hadn’t come to a lot of games, but it was like that for most of the guys. Reggie’s mom was the only parent that showed up to every single one.

  “Mom takes Becca, my little sister, to her soccer games on Saturdays. They almost always end up starting around the same time the ball games. Dad works on the Habitat house on the weekends.”

  Mom looked at our hands. “What does your father do?”

  “He’s an architect at Crabtree, Blaine, and Ubeck.” Daniel squeezed my fingers.

  “Really? Would I know anything that he’s worked on?” Mom smiled wider now like a mouse that got the cheese from the trap.

  Daniel said, smiling back at her. “He doesn’t talk about work much.”

  “And your mother. What does she do?”

  Poor Daniel. The more points he scored, the more he got grilled.

  “Mom works at Becca’s school as a teacher’s aide.”

  “A teacher’s aide?” Mom looked utterly baffled with a hint of disgust. A million thoughts could be growing through her head at the moment and none of them good.

  Daniel needed a break from the interrogation. “Mom, when did you say –”

  “Your father should be pulling up any minute now,” she interrupted. “Now, Daniel, I’m not certain you were given a proper tour of the house the last time you were here –”

  “Mom –”

  “I know you saw the guest room and Vicky’s room –”

  “Mom –” I raised my voice.

  “And I believe you were here one other time and saw the pool –”

  “Mother –” I snapped.

  “What is it, Vicky?” she said, sounding exasperated.

  “Just stop.” It was a simple request. Well, a command really, but it didn’t get through to her.

  “Stop what?”

  I stood up. “Daniel, will you excuse us for a moment?” Then I grabbed my mother’s hand and yanked her into the hallway. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective.

  “Victoria Christine, what are you doing?” Mom tried to sound confused and pissed. I knew better.

  I didn’t answer as I dragged her into the dining room where Lilly was setting the table. I didn’t want Daniel to overhear any part of my impending argument with my mother. Lilly saw us, finished the last place setting, and then shuffled out of the room.

  “I’m not going to ask you again –”

  I didn’t let her finish. “What are you doing?”

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she said. This was not my mother but Senator Hudson’s wife. She was so fake, so conniving that I didn’t recognize her. Nor did I want to know her.

  “Mom, I really like Daniel and you’re torturing him like he’s a servant that was caught stealing.” I’d seen it happen. When I was five, the cook sent my father to the hospital by making a peanut sauce. He was allergic. When I was seven, the gardener had a pair of shears in his back pocket when he left. He didn’t bring them back the next day. Mom accused him of trying to steal them. She put him through her version of the Spanish Inquisition.

  “Don’t be ridiculous…” She put her hand on her forehead and started pacing. “I don’t know why you’ve started acting like this.”

  “Like what?” I controlled my voice even though I just wanted to scream to the skies.

  “Since you moved in with your grandmother, you’ve been acting like a complete stranger.” She stopped in front of me and crossed her arms. “When I see you, I barely know who you are. That’s if I even see you. You used to tell me everything, Vicky. We used to talk. I knew this whole baseball thing was a bad idea. You should’ve gone to Europe. You should still be dating that nice boy Theo –”

  “Oh. My. God. Mom, Theo cheated on me. And he was all over Andy before they left American airspace. And you think he’s nice?”

  “He comes from a good family –”

  “So does Daniel,” I interrupted. Okay, I screamed.


  Mom’s smug face smiled. She patted my arm as she walked by me toward the hall. “I’m sure he does.”

  “But what, Mom?”

  She stopped, and her shoulders dropped like giving me her opinion was weighing down on her. “I just don’t think he’s good for you.”

  I hurried around to get in front of her. “Excuse me? You don’t even know him.”

  “I know enough.” There it was. That glint in her eye that told me she knew something that was too important for her daughter to know.

  “I don’t understand.” I searched her face for the answer.

  “Really, Vicky, just look at the boy.”

  I don’t know what fell faster, my stomach or my jaw. I knew what she meant. I just didn’t want it to be true. “You mean because he’s Korean?”

  She didn’t answer. She didn’t need too.

  “You are unbelievable, Mother,” I whispered.

  I stormed through the hallway, almost knocking over Lilly as she stood with my father’s briefcase by the front door. The sight of the brown leather with the monogrammed lock sent me into a sprint. When I entered the sitting room, Daniel and the Senator were in a stare down.

  “What’s going on?” I asked through gritted teeth. I needed to calm down and not think about my mother. The Senator relaxed in the wingback across from Daniel. I kissed him on the cheek, inhaling the stale airplane scent on his suit.

  He stood up and hugged me. “It’s so good to see you, Vicky.”

  I sat next to Daniel, weaving my fingers through his with a reassuring squeeze. My father stared at us for a moment with a blank expression. He was calculating.

  “Tell me, Daniel.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. Standard understanding father-slash-lawyer move. “Is my daughter any good?”

  A million thoughts went through my perverted mind.

  Thankfully, Daniel knew better. “She’s not bad, sir.”

  I elbowed his side.

  “I mean, she plays very well.” He smirked then added, “For a girl.”

  I should’ve smacked him.

  “Vicky, why didn’t you tell me about this?” His eyebrows furrowed. I couldn’t tell if he was hurt, curious, or both. “Is this why you moved in with your grandmother?”