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“All right, get all your goo-goo eyes making in now because, Parker, I need you a thousand percent focused on the game,” Nathaniel instructed. “We are playing the most awful team in our entire league, and you are our secret weapon this year. We need to cream them.”
Only a handful of teams had been around in the league for more than a couple of years. Most teams formed and quickly dissipated when people had better things to do. For the most part, everyone got along. Tournaments and games were usually fun, except when our team played the team led by Bradley. Bad blood ran deep between the two teams, and Nathaniel had declared them the enemy in his own dramatic fashion.
“Why are they the worst?” Parker asked.
Nathaniel tensed, and Gabby set a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She told the story, and I thought Nathaniel would crack his teeth at how hard he clenched.
About a year ago, during a particularly tight game, Bradley had started messing with Gabby while she was at first base. It had started as harmless joking and flirting on his end. Now, Gabby was adamant about being able to take care of herself and let him down. He didn’t take it well, and his anger led to some very lewd comments towards her. Nathaniel walked up and knocked him out with a single punch.
The fight quickly escalated to almost a brawl, and the game was over. The other team refused to kick Bradley off their team, so they faced each other a few times per year. Since that day, our team has won every game. Nathaniel intended to keep it that way.
The car pulled into the parking lot, and they all shoved their phones and wallets into my purse. It was a team rule that they weren’t allowed to have their phones on them. Parker and I walked toward the chain-link fence that surrounded the field, a few steps behind Gabby and Nathaniel.
“Good luck,” I gave him a thumbs up, mindful of keeping a friendly distance between us.
“I’d ask for a good luck kiss, but I can see Lainee and Amanda staring at me.”
It took all my control not to look back at them. We chatted in the office sometimes. Parker and Nathaniel had become friends. Our talking was nothing weird.
“You don’t need luck. Gabby said you’re really good.”
“Well, you just being here is all the luck I need,” he shrugged as if it was a fact.
He turned and walked onto the field. I made my way to the benches where everyone was sitting.
Stephen held an ice cream cone for his daughter that was starting to melt onto his hand. Lainee and Amanda were whispering to each other and laughing at something the other team was doing. It was incredible how fast they had become friends. Even Gordon was here, although I think he might have been cheering for the other team.
A few minutes before the game started, everyone else arrived. I sat between Amanda and Nick. Richard was behind me with Erik. Amelia rushed towards us, worried that she had missed the start.
Nick brought everyone a cooler with beer and water, even though it was barely eleven in the morning. It was getting hotter, but the shade made it more pleasant than it should have been. Everyone joked as we watched Gabby, Nathaniel, and Parker start batting.
Nathaniel was the first one up to bat. The umpire was clearly in the other team’s pocket from the start. The strike zone was too wide. But Nathaniel made it to first base with one more strike before he was out. Everyone cheered.
Gabby struck out.
“It’s okay, muffin!” Nathaniel called out to her from first base. Bradley snickered.
Parker was the next one up. With his stance, you would have thought they were playing a professional game, not a beer league, on Saturday morning.
Amelia filled everyone else in on Parker’s history. He had played baseball in high school and college. His skill had been incredible until he tore a ligament in his shoulder and needed surgery. It effectively ended his career as a pitcher before it even started. I could imagine him in baseball pants. It was an image I was keen to get out of my head with Richard and Erik behind me.
Parker struck out.
“Dust off the cobwebs, Parker!” Amelia cheered.
Nathaniel ended up stranded on first base as Allison struck out. The strike-out pattern held for both teams until the fourth inning. Nathaniel hit a double, and Parker followed it up with a home run. In a blink, they were up two to nothing.
Halfway through the game, they took a water break. Parker came up to the fence that separated us from them.
“Hey, Ame!” Parker said. “Can you take some pictures with my phone? I want to send some to my family.”
“Sure, where is it?”
“Blake’s purse!”
He jogged away from us and toward the dugout, where Nathaniel called his name. Richard cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. Erik’s fingers tapped together. I rummaged through my purse to pull out his phone.
“Here,” I laughed nervously. “The three of them just shoved their stuff in there, so it’s super crowded.”
