From The Other Side

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ELEVEN
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Saturday, March 15th

Isaiah didn't realize it right away, but he was starting to get out more. Excluding anything baseball related, which continued to surprise his family. When he told them he was going out in the evening with his friends, his father's jaw practically dropped to the floor.

              "Again?" He asked, and Isaiah frowned. His dad turned to his mother and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Rose, is our son officially getting a life?"

               Isaiah gaped at him. "Dad!"

                "Am I wrong?" the man replied, and Isaiah narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't surprised with Ashton's birthday, obviously. If you didn't go, I must've gone wrong in raising you. And then the movie before that."

Wasn't a movie, Isaiah thought sheepishly. It was a party. But this time it's a movie, so.

"Leave me alone," Isaiah groaned. "I get it, I'm doing stuff. Big deal."

"It is a big deal," his father insisted. "Staying cooped up in the house all the time isn't good. I almost thought all your friends were figments of my imagination."

Rose sighed. "Everett, you're so dramatic."

"I'm not. I'm simply voicing my concerns."

Isaiah rolled his eyes when his parents weren't looking. If they saw, his mother would've popped him in the mouth. "Dad, don't you have to go to work or something?"

"Don't try to get rid of me, boy."

                   Isaiah pursed his lips in reply. His father chuckled and reached out to ruffle his hair affectionately, sliding his hand to the back of his neck to tug him into a short hug. "I'm kidding," he said, squeezing his shoulder. "But I do have to go."

                     "Okay," Isaiah said, pulling away. "Are you coming to my game this Wednesday?"

                      His father's kind smile turned apologetic. "I don't know," he admitted. "I hope I can."

                      Isaiah visibly deflated. He nodded in understanding and left the room, his good mood squashed underneath the heavy weight of that revelation. Why did I ask? He already knew he wouldn't be able to. Do I like to torture myself or something?

                        If he could hardly deal with his father rarely being able to come to regular games, he didn't know how he'd feel if he couldn't attend the playoffs. The thought made his stomach churn; it was his senior year. He needed his dad to be there. Just once.

                       It was unlikely, very unlikely. His dad worked as a paramedic at the hospital. He woke up around five on the weekdays to go in, and wouldn't come back until much, much later. On the weekends he could go in a bit later, but not much. It felt like he was never home, so when he had a chance to go to his game a couple weeks ago, Isaiah had never been happier. Today, when he woke up and saw his dad still hadn't left, he was beyond excited.

Isaiah could only hope for the best.

Upon entering his room, he checked the time. 10:52 AM. He had eight hours until the movie, and he didn't quite know what to do until then. He could go to the batting cages, but it was hot and humid outside. He could go on YouTube, but none of his favorite creators had uploaded anything. He picked at his comforter, bored out of his mind despite just waking up.