The Boy of Summer

35 - Fan Interference

Fan Interference: When a fan or any person not associated with one of the teams alters play in progress (in the judgment of an umpire), it is fan interference. The ball becomes dead, and the umpire will award any bases or charge any outs that, in his judgment, would have occurred without the interference. This is one of several types of interference calls in baseball.

Present day...

Kenzie had been avoiding going home since the funeral. She had a swirl of emotions and not even relief over her breakup with Brandon helped her to feel better.

Sandra would have to charge her for counseling. Kenzie had finally told her the whole story. She had never told anyone about her relationship with Jett other than Kimmy. She suspected Betsy knew, but Kenzie refused to discuss it with her

"You're telling me you dated Jett, the hottest guy on the team who's shirt all the kids wear and who dated a supermodel."

"He never really dated her."

"Okay, so it was just sex."

Kenzie sighed. "He told me it wasn't even that."

"You discussed it?"

"Not directly. It's complicated. Right now, I'm mad at my father. I found out he's been seeing Betsy."

"What? I thought you loved Betsy?"

"I do, but why does he get to be happy? Why have they been sneaking around?"

Her friend responded, as if she was speaking to a student. "You need to ask."

She would have an opportunity, because her father called and invited her for dinner.

"Come alone."

She expected a cheer or at least a smile when she announced she was no longer with Brandon.

She arrived to find her father at the grill.

"Hi Dad. That's a lot of food for two." There were four seasoned chicken breasts.

"Four although Maisy-girl doesn't eat a lot."

She smiled, because Jett had to be right. She wanted to be mad at her father, but she loved him too much. As father and mother to her and Ben, she owed him. She could have blamed her father when Jett left, but she let her anger towards him go. Instead, she directed it at Jett hoping she'd stop loving him.

"Dad..." she started unsure of what she planned to say. Sandra said to ask him.

"Kenzie!"

She turned to see blond hair bouncing as bare legs and feet came running toward her.

"Maisy, your sandals." Betsy called.

Coach called back. "She's fine, Bets. It's summer."

She picked Maisy up and hugged her. "I'm not as high up."

"What do you mean?"

"Jetty holds me way up high."

Her heart panged at the thought of her little arms around him. "He's taller than me."

They followed the other adults inside and her father offered her a drink. She rarely imbibed, but a glass of wine would help get some courage.

Once her arms were free, she hugged Betsy and quietly asked how she was doing.

"I'm alright. Jett paid for camp last week, so I took care of a lot of things and made some decisions. I'm going to sell the house. The memories. I can't stand the basement."

She nodded, the basement room where Kim lived when she bothered to come home was gross. "Where will you live?"

"I'm still working that out."

Betsy looked at her father, as if hoping he would speak. She had to ask, but how?

He mumbled about the chicken and walked outside. Betsy pulled salads out of the fridge.

"He didn't make those," Kenzie said.

Betsy laughed. "No, I did."

Hearing her laugh helped Kenzie feel better, and she whispered, "How is she?"

"Truthfully, fine since Kim was never home."

It was sad. Kim had ignored Maisy most of her young life. She would pull the mother card when it benefited her.

"Okay, chicken is ready!" He called in a voice that made Maisy laugh.

Deciding to ignore Sandra's advice, she said, "I'm not seeing Brandon anymore. So I guess all three Lynch's are single."

"Kenzie, I need to tell you I've been seeing Betsy and well we're quite serious about each other. In fact, she's planning to move in here."

"How long have you two?"

"A while and before you ask we needed to keep it to ourselves because of Kim. She could affect my reputation. She was a loose cannon."

You think! "So are you going to get married?"

Betsy said, "Yes, if you and Ben agree."

"Why would you let us decide your happiness? We're both adults."

Why had she let her father take away her happiness?

"Thank you sweetie, that means a lot," Betsy said.

Once dinner was through, Coach said, "I'm not sad about your guy. He wasn't right for you. You know if I could hand pick a guy for you, I'd pick Jett."

"Jett! Dad, he plays ball!"

"He's also like a son and I'd trust him with my daughter."

"Are you punking me?"

Betsy said, "No. I think he regrets being so hard on you in the past."

Kenzie whispered to Betsy. "What does he know?"

She whispered back. "Just that Jett was the guy he forbade in college."

She felt like she might bring her dinner back up. Nerves and excitement clashed.

"Dad, does Jett know?" He nodded. "What did he say?"

"He said I should let you know he's not a ballplayer."

Her mind went crazy. Did he want her now they had her father's blessing?

Looking at the time, the game would start in twenty minutes. She doubted he'd see it, but she sent him a text.

Kenzie: Come by the apartment after the game ❤

She wasn't playing games anymore. It was time to stop living in the past and look to the future. Unfortunately, her future would have to wait for nine innings.