I had to park on the street that went into the ball fields. Reggie, Calvin, and I trudged up the short hill, joking about getting warmed up this way. When we got to the parking lot, a guy in a dark suit approached.
“Miss Hudson,” he said with a nod, pushing between me and Reggie.
I glanced up and saw an earpiece and wire. “Don’t tell me, Secret Service?”
No expression as he continued to lead me toward the dugout. “Former. I’m your security detail.”
Adam ran out to greet us from the concession stand. The former Fed held up his hand to stop Adam a few feet away.
“Daniel’s not going to quit,” he blurted as he skidded to a stop. “Hey, Vic. What’s up with the suit?”
“He’s not?” I ignored the question about Supercop. We started toward the dugout and Adam fell in step beside me.
“No, he’s not.” He reached out and touched my elbow. Supercop stiffened. “Vic, I’m sorry. If I knew –”
“That your girlfriend was such a bitch –”
“God, you’re so self-righteous, you know that? Do you even know why she talked to Wakefield?”
“Do I care?”
He put his hand up and started to back away. “You know, Vic, not everyone lives in a fucking mansion.”
“So that gives them the right to talk about those of us that do?” I threw my bag on the ground and pointed at his chest. “I didn’t ask to live there, Adam. I didn’t ask for a father who happened to be a senator.”
I grabbed my bag and took off at a jog to get away from him. The rent-a-cop kept up with me easily. Reggie and Calvin jogged to catch us. I could hear Adam’s footsteps a few feet back.
Just outside the dugout, I ran into the Chos. Becca glared at me. Her parents stared. I wanted to say something. To deny everything. Every word in the English language stuck in my throat. They pushed past me without looking back.
“Come on, Vic,” Adam said as he guided me by the elbow to the bench.
I searched for Daniel, but he was already on the field in his gear. He didn’t look toward me once. My newly appointed protection detail stood behind the dugout with his back to the field. I glanced around and spotted three more throughout the park. My hell’s grown bigger.
“Have you talked to him?” I asked Adam as we put on our cleats.
He shook his head. “He’s not talking to anyone.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “I really am sorry about Heather.”
“How did you know it was her? Did she tell you?” I tugged on a batting glove and avoided looking at him.
He stood up and slapped his glove against his thigh. “Some things you just know, Vic.”
Adam ran out to warm up. Calvin and Reggie jogged after him, passing Daniel as he made his way back to the dugout. I watched him for a moment then took off into the field, staying a good ten feet away from Daniel. If his parents didn’t want me anywhere near him, no reason to push it.
It drove me nuts for the first half of the game. Their pitcher walked me, and I scored off Jayden’s double in the first. Daniel didn’t give me a high five. He sat at the end of the bench, alone.
The game was tight. Delvin’s pitches all looked like fastballs down the middle no matter what Daniel called. Coach gave Delvin until the fifth to straighten out but finally pulled him. Gil took over and shut the other team down. They held us scoreless in the sixth.
I was set to hit second in the seventh with the game tied six to six. Gil got on with a blooper up the middle. Then I walked again on four straight pitches. Their pitcher was tired. I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. After he walked me, he got pulled in a double switch.
Ollie struck out looking. Then Gil was picked off at second. Two outs.
Jayden dug in and gave the pitcher his “evil eye.” It was pretty creepy. Coach gave me the sign I wanted. I felt the sweat drip in slow motion down my face. This pitcher had a slow wind up. I could make it.
I took a huge lead off first. He tried to pick me off, but I was well on my way to second. I slid head first, never a good idea, and looked toward Coach with my hand on the bag. He waved at me frantically to get to third. I hustled, almost tripping as I stretched my legs and pushed them to the limit. I went down again, sliding feet first this time. My left foot hit the bag a split second before the tag slapped my thigh.
“Safe,” the ump shouted. “Safe.”
Thanks to a bad throw by the first baseman, I had a chance to score.
Coach patted me on the back as I called time and dusted my legs. The blood started seeping through my pants again. I felt no pain as I took a short lead off third.
The pitcher didn’t even look me back. Probably a good idea considering who was at the plate.
Jayden hit a soft liner into right field. I ran hard in case of a throw, but the right fielder was too far back to field it in time. The guys shouted “atta girl’s” and “way to go’s” as they swarmed me in the dugout. They kept it up even after it became just plain embarrassing. After all, Jayden hit me in. All I had to do was run.
The moment of happiness disappeared when I saw Daniel sitting alone at the end of the bench with his head in his hands.
TOP OF THE 9TH
We ended up winning by that one run and clinched our district. For those few hours while I played, the world melted away. It rushed back as soon as I stepped off the field. Wakefield waited along with two other reporters I’d never seen before. The blood rushed to my cheeks and I was glad that my face was already flushed from the game.
My new security detail flanked me and led me to an SUV that no doubt had bulletproof glass.
“I can drive,” I snapped at lead rent-a-cop.
His head tilted down, and I could only assume he stared at me like a petulant child. It was hard to tell beneath the aviators. “Wilson will take your car back to your house. You will ride with Jones. I will drive.” He put his hand to his ear and nodded once. He nodded to the other suits who opened up enough space to let Daniel through.
I threw my arms around his neck and inhaled his sweaty sandalwood scent. He stiffened, not lifting his arms.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I stepped back, pressing into the rear passenger door.
His voice hitched. “I can’t do this, Vic.”
No, no, no, no, no.
My body turned ice cold. I knew what he meant, but I had to hear his say it. “Do what?” I asked.
He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He didn’t bother to open them when he finally answered. “It was one thing when … Do you have any idea how much it hurt my family to read that in the paper this morning? How much it hurt me?” He paused but still didn’t open his eyes. “I can’t do this, Vic. I can’t wake up every morning and wonder what bullshit will be in the papers. I … I can’t spend every day wondering if someone’s watching my house, waiting for me to screw up so they can report it.” His eyes flew open and the rage burned through. “There were five fucking reporters outside my front door this morning. They practically attacked Becca. I can’t let that happen.”
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but there wasn’t anything I could say. He shook his head and back out of the human shield that saved me from being publicly humiliated.
The stony-faced guards turned around. I threw my keys at Wilson and climbed inside without another word. Once the door was closed, I broke down in tears.
Being Victoria Hudson sucked worse than ever.
I went to see Andrea the next day without calling. Part of me hoped she wouldn’t be home, but she answered the door and acted like nothing had ever come between us. We sat by the pool while I replayed everything that had happened with Heather.
“Why would anyone do that?” she asked after I told her about Heather.
“I guess he paid her for it.” I rolled onto my stomach to get sun on my back. It had felt like an eternity since I’d last lounged by a pool.
“Money’s money.” She coated her leg with sunscreen that smelled like a coconut breeze
. “It not like you can’t get it somewhere else.”
“Says a girl whose parents are loaded.”
“You know what I mean, Vicky.” She looked at me over the sunglasses that probably cost more than Wakefield paid Heather.
“Adam said she was pretty poor though, so maybe she couldn’t.” Why was I defending Heather?
Andrea stood up and shook off her towel. “That’s not an excuse to sell out a friend.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought at first.”
We didn’t talk as we soaked up the sun. The quiet was nice. It gave me time to think about everything that had happened this past summer. It had gone by so fast. I felt like a new person because of it all. I wanted to tell her about Daniel, but it hurt so much that it was easier to bury it inside.
“Vicky, will you ever forgive me for the whole Theo thing?” Andy asked.
I stared at her for a minute. Her eyes were hidden under the oversized, too-dark shades. “Yeah. I think so.”
She paused and then asked, “Will you ever forgive Theo?”
“Not in a million years.”
She laughed and snorted at the same time. “Me either. Bastard.”
“I guess the only thing I’ll wonder is why he did it.”
“Theo’s a user. I can’t believe neither one of us saw it before.” She sat up and stretched. “You know, he has this competitive thing with Erik. They bet on everything, even grades.” She took a deep breath and I waited for the bomb. “You were one of the bets.”
I bolted up. “What?”
“God, Vicky, I swear I only found this out a few weeks ago. So don’t be mad, okay? I mean at me, don’t be mad at me.” I nodded, and she continued. “Erik told Theo that you had … you know. Anyway, that’s why Theo was so intent on you guys hooking up in Europe. He bet Erik that you’d do it with him too, but you’d remember it this time.”
I fell back onto the chaise lounge. “God, I make one freaking mistake and it’s going to haunt me forever.”
“They’re both dicks.” She leaned forward and straightened out her towel. “One more thing.”
“Can I handle it?” I dropped my arm over my forehead.
“In honor of total disclosure or whatever, I found out – again after the fact – that Theo was hooking up with Stacey before we even left for the trip. He thinks her dad’s an ‘up and comer’ on the county board.” She leaned over me so I would hear her. “I’m sorry, Vicky. You know how Theo’s always into the political stuff. He saw you and Stacey as an opportunity.”
“Great. Just great.” It sucked to hear all of this, but getting it out there was something that needed to be done. Forgiving Andy was one thing, trusting her was another. “He probably talked to Wakefield to get even with me. I’m surprised Erik hasn’t talked yet.”
“Oh, I think Erik’s got other plans. He wants your team to get to the championship game to face his team. He wants to play against you.”
That made sense. Erik was a pitcher. Sometimes that’s a fun match up. Sometimes it can be dangerous when two people hate each other. Plus, he never liked the fact that I was a better player than he’d ever be.
“Vicky, thanks for coming over. I’ve missed you so much.”
I hugged her. “I’ve missed you too.” The alarm on my cell went off. “Crap, I need to go.”
I slipped my shorts over my bikini bottoms and grabbed my purse. We walked to the house chatting about nothing.
“Can I ask you something?” Andrea asked.
“Yeah, go ahead. I don’t have anything to hide.”
“Is that newspaper article true? About you and Daniel?”
The sound of his name made me want to curl up into a ball and cry.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
I shook my head and slid onto the marble floor of the foyer. Grief took over no matter how much I tried to keep it down. Finally, I managed to admit what I’d hoped had been a bad dream. “It’s over. He …”
Sobs prevented me from telling her why. It didn’t matter to Andrea. She sat beside me, wrapping her arms around me until I couldn’t cry.
“He’s an idiot, Vicky,” she whispered. “This won’t last forever.”
I nodded. As I drove toward Grandma’s, I wondered if she was wrong about that.
BOTTOM OF THE 9TH
The first playoff game was Friday afternoon on neutral ground in Forest Park. The tourney was single elimination. There were eight teams that had won their districts, so it only took two wins to get to the championship game. But they’d be hard fought.
The field at Forest Park had more room for fans. People that ran on the bike path could stop and watch for a moment before continuing on. It was a nice change of pace from our own park, which felt more and more cramped with each passing game.
The stands were crowded, but something felt off. Then I saw the microphones standing near the backstop. The media was there and this time it was national. Robert rushed toward us and the bodyguards closed ranks around me.
“I need her. Now,” Robert demanded.
“What’s going on?” I asked with more attitude than he probably deserved. The guys stood behind me, and I could feel the tension rolling off them.
“Press conference,” Robert said, pointing to the staging area. “Your father would like you by his side as he makes his announcement.”
My whole body went numb. Not here. Not now.
Robert ushered me to a secure spot away from the reporters. My father stood there in his best suit and rosy cheeks. Mom fixed his tie. She had on a pale-yellow suit jacket with a matching knee length skirt. She looked like a reincarnated Jackie O.
When the Senator saw me, he beamed from ear to ear. “Vicky, sweetheart, come over here.” He looked me up and down. “Don’t you look fetching in your uniform.”
Mom stood beside him, pale-faced and expressionless. There were a few advisors running around under Robert’s direction. My security detail lined up around the dugout, keeping the reporters from my teammates. I ignored them and focused on my father.
“Today’s a big day, Vicky. Big day.” He slapped my shoulders and bounced on his heels. I hadn’t seen him this happy in a long time. “We are going to make headlines today. Me and you.”
“I don’t want to make headlines.” The words sounded stronger in my head than when I said them.
He actually laughed. “This is a day to remember, Victoria. A day for the history books.”
This time the words came out louder than intended. “Not today. Damn it, don’t do this today.”
“Victoria, watch your language,” Mom snapped. “Haven’t you shamed this family enough –”
“Shamed this family?” I turned and let all the walls crumble. Everything I’d been holding back for seventeen years came out. “You’re so crazed about your reputation. You’re so concerned with how the world fits into your perfect box. Get over it, Mother. I’m not a doll to be dressed up and shown off.” I turned to face off with my father. “Why are you doing this to me? Why do you have to take anything that’s mine and make it about you?”
He looked like I had smacked him across the face. “What are you talking about?”
“When did you announce your bid for councilman? At my kindergarten graduation. When did you announce your bid for the state house?” The tears rolled down my cheeks, falling onto my uniform. “Three years later after my dance recital. When did you announce your bid for the U.S. Senate? When I won a statewide debate competition.” I grabbed my hair and screamed into my pursed lips. “And now you’re going to announce that you want to be President. Here.” I waved my hand around the field.
I stared at him for a moment. He didn’t even flinch.
My heart tore into a million irreparable pieces. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”
Mom took a step behind my father and put her hands on his arms. She scowled at me over his shoulder. I waited for something, anything to come from him. For the first time, he was speechless. I turned on my h
eel and marched toward the dugout. The team needed me to be on today. The guys needed me to play. All I wanted to do was run and hide and be totally forgotten.
I put on my game face as I sat on the bench and pulled on my cleats.
“You alrigh’, kid?” Coach asked as he sat beside me.
“Fine.”
“No, you ain’t.”
“It doesn’t matter, Coach. Right now, all that matters is that we’ve got a game to win.” I looked at him and wished my father would give me the same look Bernie Strauss was giving me. One that said it would be okay and that he cared. “Ignore the crap behind the fence, Coach. Tell the guys too. The Senator is announcing he wants to be President.” I tugged my cap down over my eyes and slapped my glove on my thigh. “No matter who it hurts.”
I ran onto the field and started throwing with Calvin and T.C. They watched me, but they didn’t ask. Everybody watched me, even the other team, but those few minutes of silence were enough to let me focus, even as my father smiled for the cameras behind home plate. I moved as far to the left as I could so that I wouldn’t be in the frame with him.
He stepped away from the microphones and the questions five minutes before the game was scheduled to start. The reporters swarmed him, clamoring for more. Robert shooed them away and the ump yelled at them to get their equipment out of the way.
“Hudson, you hear me?” Coach bellowed.
I shook my head as I came out of my reverie. My father had distracted me enough for the day. Even as he made his way to the bleachers to watch me play. It would’ve been bad if he had left. After all, he wanted to be seen as a family man.
We were the home team. I took the field and felt the cameras on me.
“Shake it off, Vic,” T.C. said as he jogged by me.
I nodded and stretched, tossing soft lops to Jayden as he sent grounders my way. Delvin wound up for the first pitch and the game was on. I forgot about the reporters. I forgot about my father. The game was all that mattered.
Extra Innings Page 19
