Homerun

•35•

Dansby and I have been driving around town for probably 20 minutes, the only sound coming from the radio. I can feel Dansby's anticipation but he doesn't ask he remains silence aimlessly driving with his hand on my knee. Finally find the courage I lean forward turning the radio down.

"Do you remember the name Kalin Young?" I ask finally.

"Uh the name sounds familiar but not really." Dansby answers, I can see the wheels turning in his head as he tries to remember.

"She was the volleyball player from UGA who died 4 years ago." I say as memories flood my mind. "She, she was Megan and I's roommate."

Dansby's hand gives my knee a squeeze. "Yea she had an accident at the lake right? I remember hearing about it right after school got out."

I nod taking a slow breath as tears begin to build in my eyes. Dansby kept driving like I asked though. "It was John's birthday weekend and the weekend school got out so we figured we'd kick off the summer with a weekend at my lake house. It was suppose to be a fun weekend of drinking with friends and celebrating the end of sophomore year."

"Taegan." I shake my head stopping him.

"I need to get through it." I close my eyes letting the music calm me. "It was Saturday afternoon, we had been drinking since we woke up and we thought it was a good idea to go to the jumping rock. Megan, Kalin and I all jumped into the water and swam over to the rock to be the first ones to jump. I remember racing them to the rock and up it. When we got to the top we all grab hands and prepared to run and jump into the water. Well when we started running Kalin must have had second thoughts and tried to stop when she did Megan and I just pulled her off with us. I guess because she didn't push off she didn't make it out far enough, I'm not sure but all I know is I remember looking back as we fell to the water and watching her head fly into the rock." I choke as tears fall finally. "There was so much blood in the water and she was just lifeless as I swam over to her. Dansby I literally held her in my arms as she died. W-when the guys got over to us John was freaking out yelling that we pulled her and it was our fault. He was drunk so I could see where he saw that but it wasn't our fault. I guess he had recorded it for Snapchat or something but he didn't get the whole thing, all he got was Megan and I laughing as we held onto a terrified looking Kalin's hand and letting go mid air as she hit the rocks.  In the video it really does look like we pulled her over and made her hit her head." By now Dansby had stoped the car and pulled into an old parking lot. "We didn't do it on purpose. I swear." I cry.

Dansby immediately pulled me over the console of his truck and into his arms. "Shhhh I believe you. Taegan that was a freak accident, it wasn't your fault."

"That's the thing." I sniffle. "John is threatening me with that video. That video could ruin me and Megan."

Dansby shakes his head kissing my shoulder. "I wouldn't let that happen Taegan."

"You couldn't stop it Dansby, John his family is well connected. He would find a way to ruin you too." John's dad is a big time judge down in Florida and has got John out of trouble before.

"Then go to the cops, tell them he's threatening you." Dansby suggest.

"It's not that simple Dansby, his dad is a judge down in Florida and a powerful one at that. He will literally ruin us." I shake.

"Then what do you want to do?" Dasnby asks softly.

I shrug leaning my head back on his shoulder. "Hope and pray that he doesn't have the balls to release the video."

"Then that's what we'll do. But Taegan, if he ever tries to lay a hand on you again I will end him. I don't care. No one will ever touch you like that again." His fingers brush my cheek as he holds my face looking me dead in the eyes.

I close my eyes leaning into his hand. "He terrifies me, Dansby."

"Hey look at me." I open my eyes taking in his brown ones. "He will never hurt you again. Not while I'm around." I smile up at him leaning forward and pressing my lips to his.

"Thank you, thank you for being here for me." I whisper laying my head on his shoulder.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere baby."
*********
Dansby and I went back to my place last night after our talk and ended up falling asleep watching a movie. I was waken up at 7:45 on this beautiful Saturday morning to my phone going off.

"Holy shit." I groan leaning over a sleeping Dansby and grabbing my phone. "Hey daddy." I answer seeing the caller ID.

"Taegan Annabelle have I told you late that you're my favorite child?" My dads voice beams.

I sit up confused and rub my eyes. "Oh god what did Jeremy do?"

"It's what you did. JR called this morning, he put a bid on that second house." My eyes widen at this news. "We got the deal with the Falcons!"

"What are you joking me?" I ask excitedly. I guess my voice woke Dansby because he groans next to me attempting to pull me back into his arms.

"I'm serious! And it's all because of you Slugger! So to reward you for that I'm giving you the contract. Anytime a Falcon needs something housing wide you're their girl." I couldn't contain my smile as I squealed.

"This is amazing! Thank you so much daddy!" I hear him chuckle on the other side.

"It was all you. You deserve this Taegan. Now I've got to go because we're meeting your brother and Nicole to talk about this situation they are in." I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

My parents know Jeremy and I both haven't waited till marriage but they still raised us that parents should be married before having kids. "Yea I'm going with Jeremy Monday to pick out a ring for Nicole."

"At least he's doing that. Well I better get going kido but hey I'm proud of you." He says.

"Thanks dad. Love you, bye." I say hanging up.

"What was that?" Dansby asks, his voice deep and filled with sleep still.

"I don't know why but John put a bid on a house, I got the Falcons contract." I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Dansby's eyes open as he leans forward kissing my head.

"That's amazing Taz. What do you think that means though?" He pulls me closer and back down next to him.

"I don't know." I admit. "John likes to play games, so this could just be another game of his."

"Well no matter what, I'm still proud of you."