Chapter 63 All the Things I Love
-Drew-
It’s been amazing being in a professional baseball club.
All the focus we get from the coaches to the trainers is impressive.
It’s easy to take advantage of each opportunity that is offered, to take the advice of these people whose job it is to focus on weeding out the winners and losers.
They have to determine who is worth moving up and who can’t take the pressure of so much baseball physically or mentally.
I don’t want to be found in the group of guys labeled as “not ready.” I want to make the club's investment in me worth it, because I love each game, each crack of the bat when I connect, and each play I make on the ball. It’s work, but I don’t feel like I’m working; I’m just playing a game that I love for money.
I know I’ve let a few phone calls slip with Annie since I left.
I make excuses in my mind that it will all level off, the season is only so long.
I’ll be home in the fall, and the distance of almost eighteen hours will be cut down to only four from home to her in Norman.
***
Then that stupid party happened, and the fight with Annie followed.
Since then, things haven’t felt completely the same with Annie, and I can’t place what is wrong exactly.
She said she believed me about what happened, and I didn’t lie to her about the details.
I’d made a mistake in how I had tried to handle the situation, and I knew it and haven’t repeated it.
The next day, I asked Perez to keep the groupies out of the apartment, at least for our after-game celebrations.
I didn’t care who he brought home to his room.
He laughed and told me I was whipped. I told him he would be too if he had an Annie.
He laughed before saying he wasn’t sure this Annie was worth it.
Being a smart ass, I pulled out my phone and showed him that bikini pic of her from last summer, which was a mistake because now he keeps asking me when the blondie was going to visit so he could see if it was worth it to be whipped.
I know he is messing with me, or I guess I hope he is messing with me.
If Annie gets to visit, and he hit on her, I may have to show him what it means to get his ass kicked.
***
We’ve made it to halfway through the season, and it’s mid-July.
My birthday is tomorrow. The guys found out today, and they want to have a party after the game.
It helps that the day following my birthday is our off day, so we can have a little fun without impacting our play on the field.
I’ve told them I’m in, and one of the guys says we should go to a local club that is eighteen and up.
I don’t see the appeal personally, but a lot of the guys are in, so I say sure.
After practice, I think about what I have to do today and try to remember Annie’s schedule for the day to call and fill her in on my new birthday plans.
I finally figure I’d call her on the drive to the charity event I’d been voluntold to attend.
The event is for the kids in the area: I have to sign a few autographs and help run a little clinic.
The coach suggested in our last one-on-one session that players who do good in their communities and give the club a good name can only rise in the league.
Then he’d asked me if I was interested in the event.
I’d said yes, because with that little sales pitch, how could I say no?
***
I call and text her with no reply, which isn’t completely weird—we miss each other, and Annie doesn’t have her phone with her at all times, so I’ll have to talk to her later.
I’m almost to the ballpark where the event is taking place when I get a call from my mom.
“Mom, how’s it going?” I answer. “Oh, hunny, it’s going good here.
I think we may come to visit in August, to see you play and for work.
I loved all the desert landscape possibilities.
” “Sounds good,” I let her know, because it will be nice to have family in the stands.
Mom changes the subject. “I know you’re busy, but you should be getting your birthday present today.
I wanted to call to let you know to look for it later.
” I let her know that I’ll be home a little later, but Perez will be home to get the package.
She laughs at me and says that will work.
She tells me to have fun with the kids and ends the call with her typical be safe and love you.
***
So here I am, feeling ridiculous, signing a bunch of autographs on photos of myself in the Arizona jersey and on the baseballs the kids offer.
I think almost none of these kids know who I am, but their parents know I could be somebody, so they are here in my line to get my signature.
One of the boys—he’s got to be like twelve—asks me, “So, like, are you going all the way to the majors? I want to see if it will be worth it to get your signature now so I can sell it later.” I laugh and sign “Worth It’ and my name on his ball, which gets me a laugh at least. I’ve been focused on each person who appears in front of me, I haven’t paid attention to the line or who is up next.
I think this is why I jump when I hear a voice I’d know anywhere.
“I’d like mine made out to Angel.” I look up at her, because there is no doubt that my eyes are going to see my Annie.
I smile and say, “I think I can do better,” and I sign ‘for my love’ with my signature, then slide back the signed photo.
“I think that will do. Thanks, Dimples,” she says, and she brushes her fingers over my hand as she takes the photo.
I do check the line now; there are about ten kids left.
I wave over to the lady from the team who lead me over to this table.
When she joins me, I ask if I can have a quick ten-minute break before starting the clinic with the kids after I finish the signatures.
She tells me that is fine. Annie has moved to the edge of the little area, and it takes all my effort to give the next kid my attention, but I do because I want them all to feel special for the few seconds that they have my time.
I sign the last kid's cap, and then I seal the marker and hand it over to the team rep. I hear her giving a little here’s what’s next to the group leaders as I walk to Annie.
I should say hello or ask her how she is or tell her she is sexy as hell in my Arizona jersey, but none of those things happen.
I walk up to my girl and kiss her in front of all of these people.
I can’t help myself. I know we are around families, so it doesn’t turn into anything crazy, but I have to feel her lips on mine.
When I pull back, she is smiling. I finally say, “Are you my birthday present?” Annie gives a wink and says, “I left the bow in my bag at your apartment, but yes, I’m your present.
Surprise.” I smile and pull her into a hug.
“Best present ever,” I say against her ear.
She hugs me back. “I’m here for the next four days.
Go play baseball with the kids so we can go home.
” I pull back: I like the sound of going home with her.
***
I finish the clinic, and the team rep lets me know that I’m finished and can leave.
Annie has been sitting in the stands with the parents, watching, and I try not to get distracted, but kids need a lot of water breaks in the Arizona sun, so I get a lot of looks at my girl.
She meets me at the gate, and I grab her hand and make a run for my car.
She laughs and races with me. We talk for the whole twenty-minute drive to the apartment.
I learn that Mom gave Annie the spare key to my apartment, so she hadn’t met Perez yet, but she’d been able to store her stuff in my room by recalling its location from our video chat tour.
When we get to the apartment, all I want to do is unwrap my present, but unfortunately, Perez and a few guys are over watching the game for the majors on TV in the living room.
When I introduce Annie, a few guys don’t think anything of it, but Perez looks Annie up and down, then gives me a smirk.
I want to wipe it from his face. “Glad to know she matches the picture, let me know when I get that chance we talked about.” I grab Annie's hand and lead her, looking confused, towards my door.
I say over my shoulder, “Not a chance in hell, Perez, not a chance in hell.” I hear him laugh as I shut the door.
My room isn’t all that impressive, but it’s mine.
I have the painting of us on the wall and a few other things.
Annie makes quick work of looking around the room before walking back to me.
“I think it is time you got to unwrap your present, don’t you?
” “Yes, I think I’ve been really good and should get to unwrap it today and tomorrow and every day until you go home,” I say, my fingers sliding the buttons of her jersey free.
“Mmm, I can get behind that plan,” she says as she starts sliding my jersey buttons free in return.
***