A Quiet Kismet

Chapter Thirty

AGE:6

"Look Daddy, he's going to catch the ball!" I cried out standing on the couch as Dad moved closer to watch the TV.

"He's actually going to do it!" Dad laughed, standing on his feet just as The Angels outfielder, Darrin Erstad reached his glove out to catch Kenny Lofton's flyout.

The whole stadium cried out in a victory roar and Dad and I did the same. Dad grabbed me from the couch and swung me around as the celebration on the tv continued.

The Angels weren't even his team. It was the Texas Rangers, so I didn't get why we were so happy about another team winning the world series. All I knew was that my Dad was happy and I was too. "Can you believe it Millie. A baseball miracle!"

"Daddy it's not like the Rangers won." I said giggling.

He nodded, "I know but an underdog just won. If I ever teach you anything mija, it's that we always root for the underdog."

"What's an underdog?"

"Someone who everyone thinks doesn't have a chance in hell, but in the end they show up and do the work and they win." He explained settling down. "The Angels haven't won a single world series since they opened up their franchise. This is their first win, and even better, last year The Diamondbacks won their first worlds series. That shows you that if you try and work hard, you'll never pull up short."

"Wow."

Mom came into the living room, to see that Dad and I had calmed down. "I could hear you from the backyard Ruben." Mom said, raising her eyebrow, "Don't curse around the kids."

"He didn't curse Ma, he only said hell."

Mom placed her hands on her hips and glared at Dad, then turned to me with a patient look,"That's a curse word Amelia. We don't speak like that in this house, understand?"

"But Daddy says hell is a bad place not a bad word." I said, looking between my parents and watching as they silently traded looks. Mom-annoyed, and Dad-sheepish.

"It's not like I dropped the f-bomb." He shrugged innocently.

Mom smirked, "You're going to corrupt my baby with your wayward thinking Ruben."

Dad winked at her then grinned and swooped me up in his arms. I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck. He gave me a look that said, get ready to show Mama. "Victory lap around the house mija?" He asked.

I nodded eagerly. I loved our victory laps even if everyone in the house hated it. "Oh no." Mom groaned.

"Let's go!" I cried out.

Dad laughed and we ran around the house whooping and hollering about The Angels. Jules joined us when we found her in the garden picking flowers Mom had been watering. She didn't know who The Angels were or why we were on a victory lap, but she didn't care. A victory lap was just a chance for her to run around and screech at the top of her lungs. She followed on Dad's trail and began her happy cries garnering much more attention than Dad and I ever could. Delia and Jaimie both looked annoyed when we barged into their room and told us to shut the door because they were doing homework. Jorge was outside shooting hoops with his friends and got really red when we came out with the victory parade and begged us to go back inside.

Mama watched on with a small smile on her face.She couldn't pretend for long, I knew she wanted to dance around with us, and with a small tug at her arms, she was. Dad pulled her close and kissed her so long that Jules and I cried out for them to stop.

They both laughed and Dad said to her, "You love an underdog."

"I really do." She said softly, her brown eyes twinkling with something I could only describe as admiration.

Later that night, Dad tucked me into bed. My eyes felt heavy, and I think he knew that because he talked real soft. Julia was already in her bed, snoring soundly and I was the last one they had to wrangle to get to bed. His big calloused hands reached out and fanned out my hair on the pillow. Dad knew that my hair was long enough that it bothered me at night. Mama never quite understood it and never fanned my hair out on the pillow, only he did because he knew me so well. He gave me a kiss on my forehead and turned on the night light next to my bed.

"To scare off the boogie man." He said when I glanced at the little flower light cautiously. I nodded and he brought the duvet up to my chin and tucked me in snuggly. "Did you like the game?" He asked.

I nodded, "Are underdogs a baseball thing?" I asked.

"It's a life thing." He explained, "In life you'll meet people who don't seem so worthy at first. Maybe they're not your first choice but they roll up their sleeves and they work to win. I was an underdog."

"But you're worthy Daddy."

"To you maybe, but I wasn't always. Daddy grew up with a little and I made with it what I could to keep this family. I didn't count myself out and I worked hard for your Mama and you kids." He said with a wistful sort of smile on his face.

"Am I an underdog?" I asked,my eyes getting heavier. It was harder to keep them open but I wanted him to answer my question.

"Everyone is an underdog at some point. Someday you'll be faced with a challenge you don't think you can beat, but you'll work hard for it and prove everyone who doubted you wrong. Even if that person is yourself." He said, "But trust me mija, I will never bet against you."

"I'm betting on you too Daddy." I said softly letting the sleep pull me under.

"Goodnight my Milly."