Swing

Chapter Eighteen

Robert’s Point of View

I watched as Fiona walked in with some flowers and a balloon that says “Get better soon”.

“Good morning beautiful,” I said catching her off guard.

The flowers dropped and the balloon rose to the ceiling. Next thing I knew she was wrapping her arms around me and squealing about how she missed me.

“I missed you too but can you not squeeze me so tightly please? I’m still recovering from that concussion. I have a huge headache and I don’t know if I can my ribs anymore,” I started to tease.

“Oh, sorry,” she mumbled.

“I’m only teasing,” I told her. “Though my head is throbbing so be careful please,” I added.

“Oki dok,” she said.

We sat there for about an hour before the nurse came in to check up on me. She looked through everything and moved things around. She was humming something that I couldn’t quite make out. Before long Fiona was humming it too. I finally realized what they were humming. It was We Are the Champions by Queen. Just as she was finishing up, that song came on the radio. The nurse stopped what she was doing and Fiona, the nurse, and I all burst out singing like crazed lunatics. The song ended and the nurse started to walk away. Before she got to the door I remembered my head hurt and quickly said “Oh, can you please bring me some Aspirin? My head is killing me.”

“Let me see what I can do hun,” she said walking out.

Fiona told me that habits were starting to build up and that without me she almost lost it. She talked about how her dad started working later and later. That led into her mom coming home even more drunk and even more abusive. I finally pulled her close and told her everything was going to be okay.

“I missed you,” she said all depressed.

“I didn’t go anywhere, I’m still here,” I said confidently.

I waited to see if she was going to say anything. After a few moments of awkward silence she finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“What’ wrong?”I asked her. “You seem off.”

“I don’t know how to say this,” she said. “There isn’t a good way to put it so I’m going to tell you the easiest way possible.”

            “Okay,” I said realizing where it was going.

“I can’t stay in a relationship with you,” she said. “Dating you was the greatest and worse thing I have ever done. You are an amazing guy and that’s why I have to leave. I rely on you to help me more then I should. I have to face my problems at home and I have to get over my self harm addiction and as long as I’m dating you I’m only prolonging things. I wish there was some way around this but so far I haven’t seen any. This isn’t a final goodbye, just a goodbye for now.” She finally said. “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t the greatest time but I have to strengthen myself. I can go back and fix my life to how I want it to be and you can go back to playing baseball. I’m sorry Robert. I love you,” she finished. She leaned in and kissed me before getting up and leaving.

It wasn’t long after she left until coach Macco came in with the team. Luckily he came in after I stopped whimpering. The crew saw I was awake and got really hype. Everyone was talking about how they had one the last game and how the next game we had I was pitching.

“Alright guys, there is two weeks until our next game. By then Robert should be fully recovered and ready to pitch. Does anyone have anything they need to say to him before we leave?” Coach Macco asked.

“I do, but I’m not saying it in front of you people. Everyone leave and when im done someone else can come in. Sound good?” I heard John speak up.

Nobody said anything but everyone agreed and left. After about a minute of being alone with John he finally spoke up.

“Look man, I know breaking up is difficult but-“ I cut him off.

            “How did you know about that?” I asked sitting up quickly.

“Well I really don’t know but I figured with Fiona running out of the hospital crying that you guys weren’t together anymore,” he said.

I laid back down mumbling “I don’t fucking understand females.”

John just laughed and said that nobody did. He then continued some speech on how it shouldn’t get to me and that there are many other girls that like me. I didn’t pay him much attention because Fiona was still on my mind. He finally said goodbye and then for the next hour people came in and out talking about things they thought were important.

I was released from the hospital around nine o’clock. I went home and was greeted by a note on the table and a meal in the oven. I put the food away and slowly headed to my room where I went to sleep.

This was the worst possible idea I had ever had. The entire night was filled with dreams and nightmares of Fiona and what could have been. From three in the morning until I decided to go on my run, I cried. I let everything out and had no worries and for once, it felt good. It felt good to cry.