The Boy of Summer

36 - Walk-Off

Walk-Off: A game-ending home run by the home team. So called because the losing team (the visiting team) then has to walk off the field. The term "walk-off" can also be applied to any situation with two or fewer outs in the last at-bat of the home team (such as the walk-off single, wild pitch, etc.) where the game ends as the winning run scores.

Present day...

Jett's cleat was bothering him before the game. Not wanting to take any chances at the last minute, he went into the clubhouse to get another pair. He always had multiples of everything. Coach had taught him to be prepared. The notification light on his phone was flashing. Only one person texted him when he should be on the field — everyone else knew to wait.

The apartment. His heart soared. She could have called it her apartment. Had she understood what he had said to her? He tried to tell her that with her and in that apartment was the only place he felt himself, at least as Christopher Jett, the man. As a ballplayer, he felt himself when he was playing, but that was just part of who he was.

She must know her father wouldn't block their relationship. The thought she might want to kiss him put a smile on his face which was hard to take off. When he returned to warm up his pitcher, he had a few strange looks from his teammates.

Games could be long, but this one went on for an eternity. When they tied in the bottom of the ninth, he was afraid they would have to play extra innings. As he approached the plate for his at bat, he could only think of Kenzie and the ball. He was sitting on a fat pitch that he could take yard to end the game. (waiting for an easy pitch he could hit for a home run)

He saw it and knew it was exactly what he was waiting for. The minute he made contact he smiled. As his sprint turned to a trot, he saw his teammates spilling out of the dugout to meet him at home plate. He had won the game. As he tapped his heart, he could only think about Kenzie watching and waiting for him.

The only problem was he had a microphone in his face. They wanted to interview him for the post game show. His typical responses were modest and gave credit to the whole team. This time he would have said anything if it got him to Kenzie faster. He mumbled a few words about the ball being there and he hit it. Then he said, "The credit goes to the bullpen who kept us in the game."

The bullpen was the pitchers who came in to relieve the starting pitcher. They had pitched well and allowed the team to come back offensively. He changed and was ready to go when Raul approached him.

"Hey Jett, you down for some food?"

Occasionally, they would get something to eat after a game. It was usually greasy and cheap.

"Not tonight, man."

"Come on, mi hermano." (my brother)

"Nah, I got a date."

"A date! Are you back with that smokin' model?"

"No, she's a girl from college."

"Where're you taking her dressed like that?"

He was wearing the same shorts and t-shirt that he had worn for pancakes that morning.

"It's good. We're meeting at a place I loved when I was in college."

"Look at that smile. Man, you look like you're in love."

Jett just shrugged and walked away. Raul was right.

As he drove down Beacon Street, he thought about what he would say. He needed to apologize for walking away from her. He would have to make everything right. When she opened the door, his heart stopped. She hadn't smiled at him in over six years. He reached out and cupped his hand behind her head and kissed her before she could pull away.

The only conscious thought running through his head was that he was home. Her lips were hesitant for a brief second and then her mouth slanted and she moaned. When he finally pulled away because he wanted to see her face. She looked confused.

Suddenly he remembered what's his name, and said, "Sorry."

"For what?"

"For kissing you, but only because of what's his name."

"We broke up."

He smiled. "You did? Why?"

"Because I would never love him."

"Why's that?" He knew what he wanted her answer to be.

"Because I couldn't. I already loved someone else." She looked down and shifted her feet.

He lifted her chin, so it forced her to look into his face. "Kenze, I never stopped not for a moment. Every day, it was only you and baseball... and Maise and my parents and your dad..."

She started laughing, "You forgot Ben."

"Yeah, but my love for you is one hundred percent different. Walking away was the stupidest thing I ever did in my life. I did the only thing I could do. I threw myself into the game. I worked out non-stop, and I still wanted to go running back to you. I have missed you so much. I never want to be apart again. That's if you can forgive me."

"I've always dreamed you would come back to me. I was so tired of pretending to hate you. Now my father is a different story."

"Don't! We were probably too young back then. My schedule was grueling."

She flung herself at him and their lips met. His body was alive as if it had remembered what it had been missing.

"Never leave me again."

He shook his head and said, "I leave after tomorrow's game for ten days."

"I suppose you need to sleep," she said disappointedly.

"We're show and go tomorrow. I only have to pack. I plan to sleep in."

"Sleeping in sounds perfect." She smiled and was back in his arms.

Show and go: When the team does not have a scheduled workout and only has to report for the game. Otherwise they would need to report about six hours before the scheduled start.