Sad Faces

Chapter 46: Swing Life Away

Chapter 46: Swing Life Away

Thirteen year old Thomas swings his hardest in the batting cage making the baseball slam into the wall. "Good form Thomas!" Adam cheered. "Thanks Adam," Thomas said, looking at his mothers boyfriend. "You could be better than me!" Sam said as he walked up to Thomas giving him a high five. "Nah, you're still a better pitcher than me Sam," Thomas said with a chuckle. "But now you're a better batsman," Sam said, now taking his shot at the batting. Thomas sits down next to Adam and watches Sam take the batting cage. Thomas then felt his phone vibrate as he took a look at who it was. It was Bandit sending a picture of Bluey and Bingo playing at the park. Thomas frowned and just shook off the text message. "Your dad again?" Adam asked. "Yeah," Thomas answered coldly. "Do you need to talk to him?" Adam asked. "Nope," Thomas said as he continued to watch Sam. "You can if you want to," Adam said, trying to get Thomas to talk with his father. "I'd rather talk to my uncle Stripe than him," Thomas said, still not looking at Adam. "Are you sure?" Adam asked. "Positive," Thomas simply said. Adam nodded as he looked forward and watched his son continue batting.

"Remember what we talked about? Giving your dad a chance?" Adam asked. "I know... but... I don't want to get hurt again and besides he has Bluey and Bingo," Thomas said, still continuing to watch Sam. "I see, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you, you're his first born," Adam explained. "That doesn't change things, Bluey and Bingo will always have my dad and their mom by their side and then there's just me and mom," Thomas explained. "Oh, then what about me and Sam?" Adam asked. "We'll your with me and my mom and that's great," Thomas answered. "Oh," Adam said, looking away. "Look Tom, I know you miss your dad I can see it," Adam said now being forward with. "No I don't!" Thomas snapped at Adam. "Yes you do! Me and your mother can see everyday just talk to him!" Adam said raising his voice. "No!" Thomas said as he went down to the batting cage. Thomas then took the bat from Sam was ready for the ball. "You can't just swing life away son," Adam called out to Thomas. "You're not my dad!" Thomas shouted as the ball was shot to him. "You're right! I'm not! But if I was I would make you talk to me!" Adam snapped. "Ah!" Thomas shouted, hitting the ball.

(Present day)

Thomas steps into the batting cage and swings at the ball missing it. "Come on Heeler," Thomas said, trying again. The ball came and was shot at him again and Thomas missed again. "Damn it!" Thomas shouted in anger. "You lost your touch," Adam said from outside the batting cage. "Adam? What are you doing here?" Thomas asked, looking at the Dalmatian. "Thought I'd check out the new batting cage they built here and it looks like your the first to use it," Adam said with a smile. "Yeah... I guess I did lose my touch," Thomas said, rubbing the back of his head. "Well? What drove you to do better?" Adam asked. "You, Sam, my mom and... anger towards my dad," Thomas answered. "I see, you need a new drive," Adam said with a smile. "Yeah, but what should that be?" Thomas asked. "Well, that's for you to figure out," Adam said as he went to sit in the stands. "What are you going to do?" Thomas asked. "I'm going to sit and watch," Adam said, sitting back in his seat. "That's it? No father figure advice?" Thomas asked, looking at his mothers ex.

"I'm not your dad remember?" Adam said with a smirk. "Right, you still remember that," Thomas said, feeling guilty about saying that to Adam. "Hey, you were angry and I get it. I was angry too, angry for you and at you and your mother knew that, but she knew I still loved you like my own," Adam explained. "Then what's the lesson here?" Thomas asked, still looking at Adam. "Finding your new drive, now, swing life away!" Adam shouted. Thomas was confused by that. "But you said I couldn't do that!" Thomas said. "Well I'm telling you now!" Adam said with a smile. Thomas then nodded as he got ready to bat the ball. Thomas got himself ready as the ball. The ball came at him at full speed and he hit the ball.

(Flashback)

"Dad, he made the ball explode," Sam said looking at the exploded ball on the ground. "Happy!" Thomas shouted, giving Adam the bat. "Um, stay here Sam," Adam said. "Thomas, that was amazing!" Adam said following the young Heeler mix. "Leave me alone!" Thomas walking away from his mothers boyfriend. "Hey, I'm sorry for what I said," Adam said, still following Thomas. "If I don't want to talk to my dad ever again then I don't have to!" Thomas shouted as he crossed his arms. "Look, me and your mother are just worried about you," Adam explained softly. "Well you guys don't have to worry, I'm fine!" Thomas snapped. "Holding this anger towards your dad isn't healthy," Adam explained. "Works for my uncle Prince," Thomas pointed out. "I'm sure it does, but you're not him," Adam said as he and Thomas stood by the water fountains. "I could be," Thomas protested. "I don't think you want to be, he's angry for the wrong reasons," Adam explained. "You don't know him like I do!" Thomas continued to push back. "You're right I don't know him like you do, but he doesn't sound very nice," Adam said, crossing his arms.

"He's nice and rich too! He gets what he wants!" Thomas protested again. "Right, like I said for the wrong reasons, what about your uncle Stripe, what's he like?" Adam asked. "He's nice and funny," Thomas said looking down. "Okay, is he rich and gets what he wants?" Adam asked. "He has a pool," Thomas answered. "But does he always get what he wants?" Adam asked again. "No, why does that matter?" Thomas asked. "There's a difference between getting what you want and just being a nice dog," Adam explained. "Oh," Thomas said, looking away from Adam. "So you need to choose, do you want to be rich and angry or do you want to be loving and kind?" Adam asked. "Loving and kind," Thomas said, now looking up at Adam. "Good," Adam said softly with a smile. Thomas then hugged Adam tightly. "I'm sorry Adam," Thomas whispered to Adam. "It's okay son," Adam said, hugging Thomas back.

(End of Flashback)

Thomas missed again on his sixth swing. "Damn it!" Thomas shouted, hitting the bat on the ground. "Remember anger doesn't solve everything," Adam said while sitting in the stands. "I know! Be loving and kind!" Thomas said as he shook his head. Thomas started to get himself ready again for the next round of balls to hit until he noticed Tori with her friends walking by. Thomas's heart fluttered as he watched her walk by. Thomas shifted his focus on the ball as it was launched at him. Suddenly Thomas was hitting the balls that were being shot at him. This got Tori and friends attention as he swung and hit the baseballs. Tori then walked over to the batting cage and watched Thomas swing at the balls and hit every one of them. Adam noticed this and smiled "loving and kind," Adam said softly with a smile. The last ball came at Thomas and this was his chance. Thomas swung so hard he made the ball explode like he did when he was thirteen.

Thomas steps out of the batting cage and is sweaty from doing his practice. "Hey," Tori said with a smile. "Hey Tori," Thomas said nervously. "That was something, have you always played baseball?" Tori asked with a smile. "I used to play back home, my mom's boyfriend taught me to play," Thomas said looking at Adam. "Oh, your dad didn't teach you?" Tori asked. "No, he taught me all the Australian games they play out here, but when it was me and my mom Adam taught me to play the American sports," Thomas explained. "That's nice, maybe you could teach me sometime," Tori said with a smile. "Yeah, maybe," Thomas said blushing. "Okay well, I have to go," Tori said, ready to leave with her friends who were whispering to each other, probably about Thomas and Tori getting together. As Tori was about to leave Thomas heard in his head "be loving and kind," "Hey Tori?" Thomas asked, stopping her. Tori turned and looked at Thomas. "Yes?" She said with a smile. "If you're not busy Friday, would you want to go see a movie?" Thomas asked. Tori chuckled with a nod. "It's a date," Tori said with a smile just as she and her friends started walking away again.

Thomas smiled knowing he finally got a date with Tori. "Looks like you found your drive," Adam said from behind Thomas. "How long were you standing there?" Thomas asked, looking at Adam. "Long enough, so when's the wedding?" Adam teased. "Very funny, but we're just seeing a movie," Thomas said, shaking his head. "You better get all the love advice from your dad," Adam joked. "Yeah right," Thomas said, packing his stuff up. "You should! Your mom used to tell me all the romantic things your dad did for her," Adam said while watching Thomas pack his things. "Well my dad is a sucker for love, I just hope he doesn't go for "the talk" Thomas said as he grabbed his things and stood up. "I already told Sam about that but has your mom..." Adam started to ask. "Yeah she talked to me about it as in her words "I wish your dad was here to talk about it with you" Thomas said with a laugh. "But I'm sure he'll have a fun time talking about it with Bluey and Bingo when they get older," Thomas said as he and Adam walked along. "Do you want a ride home?" Adam asked. "Yeah, I'd like that," Thomas said as he and Adam went to his car.