Cough Syrup

A Splash of the Sun

Christian ripped off his batting gloves and threw them across the cages, pissed at himself for his piss poor performance as of late.

"Y'know, I tell my son to use his big boy words when he's upset instead of throwing things," the soft voice jolted Christian out of his angry reverie and his warm chocolate eyes met a striking pair of blue ones.

"Who are you? How did you get down here?" Christian sighed in annoyance, searching for the security guard. Who allowed a fan girl down here?

"My name is Elena. I work with a local IT firm, and the Brewers reached out to us. They want to add more analytics to the screens for batting practice, as well as for game time," the woman, Elena his mind corrected, spoke softly but confidently. It was something Christian admired.

"I see. I'm Christian... and I don't want to know the analytics of that performance I just had," he smiled back at her, carefully taking his batting gloves from her outstretched hand. "I'm sorry for throwing those at you. I've been frustrated lately."

Elena smiled softly, an action that instantly filled Christian with a maternal-like warmth. "It's okay. Just use your big boy words instead, next time."

The small smirk lended itself to Christian taking in the woman before him's appearance. She was short – maybe 5'7" with her heels on, and she had curves in all the right places. Her hair was a warm shade of brown... kinda reminding Christian of honey, and her eyes. Her eyes were a piercing crystal blue. She was beautiful, to say the least.

He was already smitten.

"Can I buy you coffee to make up for it? Or maybe dinner after the game?" Christian poured on the charm, completely intentional about the soft brush of his thumb over her wrist.

***

Elena's breath caught in her throat, her stomach fluttering with a feeling she hadn't felt since Henry.

Henry would want you to find love, dear.

She couldn't get over Alice's words, her warm brown skin crinkling as she smiled genuinely.

It was almost like fate that the day after she took off her rings... the very morning after Alice uttered those words...

"I'd love to get coffee," she found herself saying, flashing the taller man a genuine smile. "I just have to text my sitter and ask her to watch my boy for a bit longer."

She saw his eyes brighten and was genuinely shocked; she expected him to blow her off with the news of her son.

"If he wants to come to the game, he can. I can put tickets up at the gate for him and the sitter!" he informed her.

"No no you don't have to," she smiled softly. "But thank you for the offer."

Christian nodded, still not letting go of her hand. "I have to get going... but it was wonderful to meet you, Elena," he said softly, looking genuinely upset to have to leave.

"I will see you after the game?" she prompted, gently handing him her phone so he could put his number in.

"You will. Come down to the clubhouse 20 minutes after the game and we'll head out," he smiled, putting his number in and sending himself a text.

"Sounds good," she whispered, her stomach still doing jumping jacks.

***

Elena watched Christian shake the red Gatorade out of his hair and smiled gently. She knew that he'd been struggling as of late and, though she just met him, it made her happy to see him find success.

You like him. Her mind told her, and she rolled her eyes, gathering her credentials and making a trip to the team store to spend the last 20 minutes.

She found herself instantly drawn to the pinstripe jerseys, running a gentle finger over gold embroidery adorning the 22 in front of her.

"Those are selling like wildfire. He's been so good for the Brewers these last couple of years, and he makes a good face of the franchise, if ya know what I mean," the sales lady smiled, jolting Elena out of her thoughts.

"Yeah... he seems really nice," she smiled a bit, grabbing a slightly oversized jersey.

The sales lady nodded enthusiastically, helping her to the checkout and convincing her to grab a California Strong shirt after explaining what it meant.

He was a good person. And it only served to make her heart flutter more.

***

"Hey! I didn't think you'd actually come down," Christian said, genuine excitement in his voice. As he took in her recent purchases, a smirk spread across his face.

"I was compelled by your performance. Then I was told about the foundation and I had to grab one," she further explained.

"Thank you for supporting. It means a lot," his smile was warm and sincere, his eyes crinkling a bit with his smile. "Let's grab that coffee?"

Elena found herself nodding, walking next to him, and enjoying the simple friendly companionship that it involved.

"I don't really drink much coffee around here. What do you suggest?" Christian asked softly as they reached where her car was parked.

"Colectivo? There's one in the Third Ward," she said softly, giving him the address to put in his phone.

"I'll follow behind you," he smiled a bit, gently running his hand over her arm.

His touch was so delicate, like the slightest amount of pressure would break her.

Elena nodded in encouragement, the flutters returning to her lower stomach.

You LIKE like him.

That stupid inner voice was there again. She wasn't ready to LIKE like someone. She needed to focus on her son... the wound was too fresh.

***

"Tell me more about you, Elena," Christian prompted, taking a drink of the mocha shake he ordered upon her recommendation.

"It's the perfect amount of dessert and coffee. You'd like it."

The description wasn't what sold him, however. It was the joy in her eyes. The way they sparkled as she explained the drink having ice cream.

"I mean... I'm pretty boring," she blushed. It wasn't necessarily true. But she wasn't ready to talk about Henry... to talk about how she lost her love.

"I doubt that, Miss Elena. You said you have a son... tell me about him," Christian prompted, sensing that she wasn't ready to talk about her son's father.

He may be a bit... dopey, but he'd always been perceptive. He's always been able to read body language extremely well.

"His name is Jonas," Elena smiled, thinking about her sweet son. "He's four and already says 'Mom!! I'm four and a HALF!' Because apparently four isn't cool anymore," she chuckled a bit and looked down at her hands.

"He's the light of my life. He's the reason for everything I do. I want him to be proud. To know that he could do anything. No matter what life throws at him. No matter how cruel the world could be," she whispered, her eyes meeting Christian's.

Christian reached out and gently squeezed her hand.

"He sounds amazing. I'd be honored to meet him someday," he said carefully, switching their drinks.

He knew she could really use the comfort of ice cream in the moment.