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The game starts and my team takes the field. I play first base, and during the first inning, I don’t see much action. Our pitcher is throwing well today, and it’ll be hard to get a hit off of him. Allyssa never makes it to bat.
I’m only a decent first baseman, but I’m a strong hitter. And when I come up to bat, I get a hit that flies out to left field. I make it to second base before Allyssa gets the ball to the baseman. I give her a wave and tip my hat. She did good.
As the game progresses, our pitcher cools off a little, and the lawyers score a few runs. We’re still ahead. But it isn’t a runaway. Allyssa strikes out her first time at bat. But on her second turn, she gets a hit and makes it to first.
I smile at her. “Looking good.”
“Thank you. I had a good teacher.” She winks at me.
The next man up hits a ground ball and Allyssa makes it to second. But I tag the runner, which is their third out. Allyssa and I go back to the dugout together, and when I sit down next to my team, one of the men nudges me.
“Are you fraternizing with the other team, Link?”
“No. It’s a friendly game, right?”
“Well, after catching Jessica making out with a lawyer, I’m beginning to wonder what’s going on.”
“We’re ahead. That’s what’s going on.”
We pull out a win, and afterwards, both teams head to Antonio’s for pizza. As tradition dictates, the loser pays for everyone. The captain of their team orders several extra-large pizzas and pitchers of soda. It’s a pizza feast and we all dig in.
When I see Allyssa filling her plate, I go over to her. “Good game.”
“You didn’t annihilate us.”
“No. It seems your team had a ringer. Some young upstart lawyer who’s never played before.”
“Mitch?”
I shake my head. “No, not Mitch. Care to sit with the enemy?”
“I’d love to.”
We find a table on the edge of all the activity and sit down.
She smiles. “Thank you, by the way. I had a blast. And I didn’t embarrass myself.”
“Win. Win.”
We eat and I take some teasing from my fellow teammates, but I ignore them. As always, I’m enjoying Allyssa’s company.
She looks around. “This place hasn’t changed much since high school.”
“No. Pretty much the same.” We’d spent many weekend afternoons at Antonio’s.
“I think I’ve only been here once since I came back home.”
“How’s that possible?”
She picks up a slice of pizza. “I’ve been busy building my career.”
“Oh right.”
“Do you have any quarters on you?” she asks.
“A few. We can get more at the counter. You want to play video games?”
“Just one. If it’s still there.”
