Page 62 of Spending Forever With You

Yeah, I started watching it last night, then the mental image of Hollis naked in my bed had me hitting the shower before bed.

Needless to say, my mind was still on my wife, so much that I was tapping my phone to order her some food so she didn’t have to cook again today, with more flowers. I was hoping my small gestures to make sure she was good showed her I was better fit to be her husband this second time around.

Before I didn’t know what it took to be a husband with a wife back home while I was always on the road. Yeah, the calls were cool, but she needed to feel me in her space, that I wanted her in our home, with me.

Well a home I was trying to make hers as much as it was mine.

Once I got the confirmation for the steak and pasta I ordered for her today, I sent a quick text, hoping I’d beat her before she cooked.

“Yeah, but their defense is weak in the field. Their shortstop could barely keep up and outfield isn’t catching for shit. We should be okay, if we can even load up once. Not to mention, their offense ain’t hitting none of Daniels’ pitches. They got one or two strong batters, but that’s why I want y’all to switch it up this game. Have Daniels throw a couple knuckleballs and pick up his speed on his curves, swinging them right instead of left. They have a slightly open stance that gives more to the left. See, look at this stance. All the power is in his back left leg. Look at his swing and how it connects as if the ball and the bat were a gotdamn magnet.”

He pointed to the screen just as the best batter for the Carneys swung, hitting the ball that seemed to flow right to him with ease, which shouldn’t have happened.

“Naw, that’s not an open stance. That’s Daniels going too easy or routine. What about an eephus with a few changeups in between? It’s like they’ve been studying and got an answer key. We have to switch up everything and call out the pitches they haven’t seen the last few games. We need something they won’t expect. This is how, even with their bullshit ass defense, we barely covered that game yesterday.”

Had it not been for Shepherd hitting a home run in the last inning, bringing home Rando and Cruz on second and third, we wouldn’t have won.

“Do you think he’s getting lazy or too old to handle the game anymore?” He asked, his tone full of concern.

I wasn’t the one to be asking for real. That was up to management and the coaches. My opinion held no weight on this topic.

That’s the problem, he is.

Shit, for real, I knew my end was coming soon too, between constant body aches and age, retirement was just one season away. I would be damned if I was pushed out before I got one more Series under my name.

I shook my head. “Not at all. His arm is strong as hell and the only one I’ve seen hit an eephus with percussion and a knuckleball with ease. I just think we haven’t had to use any real muscle in these last couple of games,” I said truthfully. Yeah, Daniels was older, but he was still golden with his arm and plus I wasn’t beat for changing the starting lineup.

“Okay. I’ll take your word about it. Is there anything else before I call Daniels in? I wanted to meet with you privately first.” I shook my head.

Normally our meetings had myself, him, and Daniels. But today, it was just him and me and I hadn’t been sure why until just now. They were watching to see if it was time to swap Daniels out for a younger version.

I mean, in this game, we all had ticking time bombs waiting to go off and tell the coaches and the owners to trade us out for newer models. And unfortunately, players like Daniels, Shepherd, and myself were on the short end of the stick when it came to who could go next. I nodded while I put my eyes back on the screen as we waited for Daniels.

Not long after, Daniels and I were doing our pre-session, practicing the new pitches that had been implemented along with new codes to match.

“Should I be worried?” he asked as I hit the code signaling the knuckleball in my keypad on my wrist. Our goal was to slow them down just enough to confuse their swings and with three added throws that specialized in doing that, I was sure it would help.

“Worried about this game? Naw, you got this. This is for sure the move we need to confuse these muthafuckas and keep these niggas on their toes. You already know we gon’ take these niggas to church today,” I said as I hit the next code.

Daniels dropped his stance as he cocked his head to the side.

“C’mon, Deacon, you’re not talking to a rookie. I know what private meetings while watching film and discussing stats means, especially when I’m the one excluded. How long I got? I have money saved up but still wanna prepare myself for the next phase early ya know.”

I relaxed on my leg as I blew out a breath, removing my glove.

“Listen, I can’t tell you nothing I don’t know about. All I can say is, for right now you’re good, but tighten up if you feel you can give them another season or two. We’re about to go on mid break, take your extra day if you need to really relax that arm, so you can come back stronger than before. We can work on some pitches, but I’m letting you know right now, you not getting all my day, fool. I do have a wife I have to think about.” He chuckled.

“Oh yeah, how’s that going?”

“Married life, you know how it is.” He snorted.

“Yeah, even if you’re right, the Mrs. is always right. And I get it, a happy wife is a loved wife, which makes me happy. So a win is a win, even when you forfeit to being wrong.”

“Exactly. Now let’s get back to this; we’ve got a game to win.”

I walked into the house and a grin immediately spread across my face. Hollis was everywhere and I loved it. She had bought wax warmers for the front room and the kitchen. I even noticed the new décor pieces that hung on the walls or sat on end table and in corners, like plants and flowers. Giving it that touch that let people know my wife was in charge and I was just the happy husband who funded the bill.

I didn’t even argue with her when she said our home needed her touch.