home run

surreal *

After spending twenty minutes helping teen girls with their swings under the careful eye of the coach, Anthony took some practice in the cage while being watched like hawk by all the girls and Leigh. They had to speed up the pitching machine and it still felt slow to Anthony, the large yellow softballs flying at him like beach balls, making his swings look effortless as he wiggled his hips for the viewing pleasure of his girlfriend without realizing that even the freshman girls were entranced.

At the end of practice, he took a handful of pictures with the team, walking out of the gym after the practice with Leigh trailing and thoroughly amused by the reverent looks the girls were giving him. On the way out, they passed the baseball team on their way in and there were many double-takes.

"I'm kind of gross and sweaty but do you want to grab some brunch? My treat, since I forced you all the way out here." Leigh offered, straddling her bike and holding her helmet in one hand. Anthony leaned against his car, shrugging.

"Sure. I don't mind chasing after you. Could I ask though, why did you run last night?"

Leigh made a face, "I had a panic attack. I still don't know how I'm going to apologize to Michael and Kate."

Anthony made a sympathetic hiss. "I'm sorry, bella. If it's any consolation, they love you very much and I'm sure they'll forgive you."

——

True to Anthony's word, they forgave her. She still moped around the apartment, making sure it was clean and they didn't want for anything. In between that, Leigh began to meet with Anthony's lawyer. They had a brief spat in which Leigh let him know that there was no way that she could afford the retainer and he distracted her every way he knew how until she acquiesced, laying next to him in bed, spent.

Anthony hopped out of the shower, toweling himself off in the steamy room and catching Leigh's eye through the foggy mirror.

"Like what you see?" He asked, quirking a small smile in her direction. Leigh replied with a dreamy nod. "What's on your mind?"

Anthony slipped a pair of shorts and on and joined her where she lounged on her back on the bed.

"I don't know, it just feels surreal."

"What does?"

"Everything." Leigh spun a ring she wore on her thumb around and around while Anthony remained quiet. "It's like deja vu, doing all this legal shit again because it is so draining and stressful, knowing that my life is gonna be spread out in front of two lawyers and a judge soon. Everything I've done is going to be scrutinized."

"I'm sorry. Was it this bad last time?"

"No, I don't know. Last time was scary because it was all very new to me. This time it's kind of old hat. But still, the fact that he almost scared me out of my life again is really sobering. I would have just picked everything up again and changed it all." She turned her head to look at Anthony, who's soft brown eyes only projected understanding and love. "Thank you, Anthony."

"Oh, it was purely selfish. I'm not letting you run away from me too." He joked, lightening her mood. "Is that why it's surreal though?"

"Nah. It's surreal because it's like deja vu but different. This time I have a really strong support base. You and Michael and Kate and my parents, they all know this time. Last time I didn't tell anyone until after the fact. It was my burden to bear."

Anthony pulled Leigh into an embrace, meaning to hold her but instead, it seemed as if she was holding him. Her arms wrapped around his bare middle and her hands spread out on his back, like Leigh was trying to memorize how he felt.