Forever With You

by E. L. Todd

  He sat in the chair facing my desk. “I’m throwing the first pitch for the Yankee game. I got dugout tickets for everyone. You can make it, right?”

  I stared at him blankly. “Hold on…back up. What are you doing?”

  “Throwing the first pitch for the Yankees.”

  “Uh, why?”

  “I gave them a large donation to redesign their stadium. As a thank you, they asked me to throw the first pitch.”

  “Oh, well that’s cool.”

  “You’ll be there?”

  “When is it?”

  “Thursday,” he said. “It’s an important game. They’re playing the Mariners—your mom’s favorite team.”

  “Tensions are going to be high…”

  “Round up the gang. They’re coming too.”

  I immediately thought of Slade and Trinity. “I don’t think everyone can come.”

  “I doubt anyone would want to miss front row seats,” Dad said.

  “Well, Trinity and Slade might…”

  His eyes fell in sadness. “Mike told me about that. Scarlet and I weren’t happy to hear that news.”

  “I wish Slade would just grow up and commit to Trinity.”

  He shrugged. “Men see commitment differently than women.”

  “What does that matter? Did you have trouble marrying Mom?”

  “No,” he said quickly. “But she almost didn’t marry me.”

  My eyes narrowed in confusion and my heart skipped a beat. “What are you talking about?”

  “On our wedding day, she left me.”

  My jaw dropped. “I don’t remember that coming up…”

  “Well, she got cold feet and freaked out. She and Ryan took off. But he talked some sense into her so she came back. Then I begged her to marry me. Fortunately, she agreed.”

  I still couldn’t believe that. “Oh my god…”

  He shrugged. “I don’t blame her. I did a lot of stupid things in our relationship. I know you’re angry with Slade for his behavior, but I treated your mom far worse than he’s ever treated Trinity.”

  “Then why did she marry you?” I blurted.

  “She knew I changed. I proved it to her several times.”

  It was hard for me to imagine my dad as an immature jerk who didn’t know what he wanted. He put my mom on a pedestal and lived his entire life for her. He was loyal to her to the point of insanity. Imagining a different version of him was nearly impossible.

  “My point is, don’t give up on them. Hopefully, they’ll find their way back to each other. When I loss your mom, that’s when I realized I couldn’t live without her.”

  “But…this is different. Slade said he never wants to get married.”

  “I think he’ll change his mind.”

  “But he did. He told Trinity he would do it for her, but he was such an ass about it that she kicked him out.”

  He rubbed his chin. “Well, that wasn’t very tactful.

  I rolled my eyes. “I know.”

  “Keep in mind that they are both young. I didn’t mature until I was much older than you are now.”

  “Well, by the time Slade matures Trinity will already be with someone else.”

  He shrugged. “Then let’s hope Slade realizes what he really wants before it’s too late.”

  I sighed just thinking about it. That seemed impossible. And I hated watching my best friend go through the worst depression of her life. She and Slade were so great together. It was hard for me to imagine a life where they weren’t together.

  “So, they haven’t been in the same room together since?” Dad asked.

  I shook my head.

  “I see…” He rested his fingertips on his lips while he thought for a moment. “I suggest you invite the person who’s taking the break up worse. You know, get them out of the house and with family. It’ll do them good.”

  “Yeah…” I honestly didn’t know who was suffering more. I hadn’t seen Slade, and Trinity was pretty much a walking corpse.

  He stood up and adjusted his tie. Then he headed to the door. “Make sure you wear your gear. It’s going to be a good game.”

  ***

  Cayson and I hadn’t spent much time together because we were always with Slade and Trinity. It was frustrating because I missed sleeping with him and just watching TV on the couch. But he was sleeping at Slade’s place every night, and it was really killing my sex life. But I didn’t complain because it would be selfish to. I didn’t mind being with Trinity. She’d been there for me when I left Cayson. But that didn’t make missing Cayson any easier.

  We had lunch at a pizza place, and Cayson seemed down.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Sorry,” he said quickly. “I guess being around Slade is bumming me out.”

  “Me too,” I said with a sigh. “My dad is throwing out the first pitch for the Yankee game.”

  His sour mood disappeared. “Your dad really is the most interesting man in the world.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I know, right? Anyway, he has dugout tickets for everyone. But, who should go? Slade or Trinity?”

  Realization came into his eyes. “So it begins…”

  “He said we should invite the person suffering the most so they can be cheered up.”

  “Well, that’s definitely Slade.”

  “I think its Trinity,” I argued.

  He shook his head. “Slade is a total mess. He just sits in his apartment with his head on the table.”

  “Trinity cries all day, every day.”

  “Slade cried in front of me.”

  “Trinity wanders the park because she doesn’t know what to do with herself,” I argued.

  “Slade didn’t shower for a week.”

  “Trinity doesn’t eat.”

  “Neither does Slade,” Cayson said. “I have to practically spoon it into his mouth.”

  “Trinity can’t sleep.”

  “Why do you think I’m with Slade every night?” he countered.

  “I’m with Trinity and she still can’t sleep.”

  “Okay…this is going nowhere.” He took a bite of his pizza then tossed it back on the plate.

  “Well, how do we decide?”

  “They can’t avoid each other forever,” Cayson reasoned.

  “But it’s too soon.”

  “It’s been a month,” he said quietly.

  “And they are just as bad as they were a month ago.”

  “If they both go, they don’t have to sit by each other,” Cayson said. “I can sit with Slade on the end, and you can sit with Trinity on the opposite end.”

  “They can still see each other…”

  He shrugged. “They both need to get out and do something. Slade just sits in the dark. I’m assuming Trinity does the same thing.”

  “Yeah…”

  “And everyone else will be there,” Cayson said. “It’ll be good for both of them to be around friends and family. And, it’s impossible for them to remove the opposite person from their life. They may as well get used to it.”

  I picked at my pizza but was no longer hungry. “You’re right.”

  “So, let’s just both do the best they can to ensure they both have a good time.”

  “Okay.”

  ***

  Trinity sat on the couch and looked paler than a ghost. The TV was on but she didn’t seem to care. Her eyes were lidded and empty, like nothing lived inside of her anymore. She was void of feeling and thought.

  I sat beside her. “We’re going to the Yankee game tomorrow.”

  She didn’t react in any noticeable way.

  “My dad is throwing out the first pitch. We got front row tickets.”

  “Baseball…”

  I ignored her odd comment. “You should go. It’ll be fun. You love crackerjacks.”

  “Will Slade be there?” she blurted.

  I knew she would ask this. “Probably…”

  “Then no, I don’t want to go.”

  I sighed. �
��Trinity, you can’t ignore him forever.”

  “I can ignore him as long as I can.”

  “You’re going to be in the same room together eventually. That doesn’t mean you have to talk to him or look at him. Just be there. We’ll have a good time. You don’t even have to sit by him.”

  She shrugged. “I guess…”

  “Good.” I patted her shoulder. “It’ll be fun. Hopefully, my dad messes up and everyone makes fun of him for making such a terrible throw.”

  She released a faint and short chuckle. “I doubt it.”

  ***

  When we arrived at the stadium, we hit the concession stand. “Let’s get something good.”

  Trinity stood beside me with her arms across her chest. She wore jean shorts and her Yankee jersey. Her hair was in a long braid, and a baseball cap was on her head. She looked sporty but cute.

  “Hot dog?”

  “No.” She looked around, probably searching for Slade.

  “Well, I’ll get two. If you don’t eat yours, I’ll eat it.”

  She stood beside me then helped me carry everything back to our seats. We were at the very end of the row, next to Conrad, Roland, Theo, Alex, Silke, and a guy sitting beside her. Cayson and Slade were at the opposite end. When I got a look at Cayson in his jersey I felt sad. I wished I could sit beside him and enjoy the game. Instead, I was steering clear of him. Slade didn’t seem to notice us. He was wearing his normal clothes and he was staring at the ground.

  We quickly took our seats and I tried to keep Trinity distracted. “Are you sure you don’t want just a bite?”

  “No.” She crossed her legs and stared at the field.

  Getting her to eat was like forcing a teenager to clean their room. “It’s really good…”

  “Water is fine.”

  I felt Conrad and Theo stare at us.

  “You doing okay, sis?” Conrad asked.

  She turned to him. “No. You?”

  “No,” Conrad said simply.

  “Well, at least we can suffer together,” she said sadly.

  Roland was beside Conrad the way I was beside Trinity, trying to distract him from reality. “You want another beer?”

  “No thanks,” Conrad said. “Still working on this one.”

  I watched Silke as she talked to a good-looking guy with blue eyes. I’d never seen him before and assumed he was someone she was seeing. I was glad she finally moved on from Arsen. She’d waited long enough. I’d talk to her but she was too far down the row.

  When I looked at Cayson, he gave me a sad smile.

  I gave him the same look in return. Then I looked at Slade.

  He was staring at Trinity with depression and longing in his eyes. It seemed like he would burst into tears just at the sight of her.

  When I looked at Trinity, she was staring at him.

  I had to distract her. “Ooh, look at the mascot! He must be on fire in that suit.”

  She broke eye contact with Slade and looked at the mascot. “Yeah…”

  The game started, and Dad and Mom walked onto field. Dad was wearing his Yankee jersey and Mom was wearing her Mariners jersey and cap. Every time their rival teams played each other, they had a party at the house.

  The adults sat one row down.

  “I’m glad my sister knows how to represent,” Ryan said.

  “Word,” Cortland agreed. “But I bet Sean makes an idiot out of himself and misses the catcher.”

  “I’d love to see that,” Ryan said.

  Dad held Mom’s hand as they walked to the pitcher’s mound. The microphone was in his hand along with the ball. When they stopped and faced the pitcher, the field became silent.

  Dad spoke into the microphone. “I’m honored I was asked to throw the first pitch of the game, but my wife has a better arm.”

  Everyone cheered and laughed.

  Ryan leaned toward Cortland. “At least he admits it…”

  Dad handed her the ball. “It’s all yours, baby.”

  She smiled at him then took it.

  Dad stepped aside.

  She took a stance then threw the ball like she’d done it a million times. Then everyone cheered.

  “Wow, my mom has a good arm,” I said.

  “Yeah…” Trinity released a sigh.

  I was certain my parent’s sappy love fest was just making her depressed.

  Dad kissed my mom on the cheek then took her hand and guided her off the field. Once they were off, the players ran onto the field and the game began.

  Trinity leaned back in her chair and looked miserable, like she didn’t want to be there at all.

  “This hotdog is delicious…” I tried to entice her by wafting it in front of her face.

  She waved it away. “I’m going to hurl.”

  “Well, more for me.” I ate the first one then moved onto the second one.

  Silke waved at me to catch my attention. “Can we switch for a second?”

  “Sure,” I said. I was anxious to be next to Cayson, even for a moment.

  Silke and I switched. I assumed she wanted to talk to Trinity and make sure she was okay. I took the seat beside the man Silke brought.

  “Pike.” He extended his hand to shake mine.

  “Skye.” I shook it. “So…you’re seeing Silke?”

  “Yep. We’ve been dating for a while.” He smiled and seemed genuinely happy.

  “That’s great,” I said. “You guys are cute together.”

  “I think so.”

  I didn’t want to be rude by ignoring him but I really wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and talk to Cayson. “Excuse me for a moment, please.”

  “Sure.”

  I turned to Cayson, and not caring that Slade could see, I kissed him hard on the mouth.

  He melted at my touch and seemed to forget about the game. “Hi…”

  I missed him so much and I wish I could tell him that.

  Slade was looking past me, watching Trinity. “She looks beautiful…” He seemed oblivious to my presence entirely. He had a dreamy look about him, like he just returned from the moon.

  Cayson cleared his throat. “You want another beer or something?”

  “Beer?” he asked like he didn’t know what it was. “No…”

  Maybe Slade was doing worse than Trinity. I didn’t think that was possible. “Can I get you anything, Slade?”

  He shrugged. “Can you rip out my heart so it’ll stop hurting?” He said it in a serious way, like the request was genuine.

  I didn’t know what to say so I looked away.

  Cayson was clearly used to these odd comments because he didn’t seem phased by them. “Your mom did a good job.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “She’s always been an overachiever.”

  “I think your dad didn’t want to embarrass himself so he asked your mom to do it.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I love it when she braids her hair…” Slade kept staring at Trinity.

  Cayson and I both eyed him then looked away.

  “Her hair is so soft…I miss the way it feels.” Slade released a deep sigh, like he’d lost his whole world.

  I leaned toward Cayson. “You weren’t kidding…”

  “I know.” He didn’t seem happy to be right.

  “I don’t understand… Why won’t he just marry her if he feels this horrible?”

  Cayson shrugged. “I don’t have the answer to that.”

  Silke returned. “I’m back.”

  I gave Cayson a quick kiss. “Love you.”

  “Love you too,” he whispered.

  With a heavy sigh, I returned to my seat beside Trinity. “Had a good visit with Silke?”

  “Yeah…”

  “It looks like she has a boyfriend.”

  “Good for her.” Her voice was quiet.

  Sometimes I was irritated with Trinity’s attitude but I brushed it off. I said a lot of mean things to her when I was depressed. I could get through it since that was what she neede
d right now.

  “Did…Slade say anything about me?” Her voice contained her hope.

  “Uh…” I didn’t know how to answer that. Mentioning Slade’s obvious longing for her might make it worse.

  She turned to me, desperation evident.

  “He said he loves your braid…and that you look beautiful.” I couldn’t deny her what she wanted to hear.

  “Really?” She seemed a little less depressed.

  “Yeah.”

  She turned away and looked back at the field, her thoughts unknown.

  ***

  When the game was over, we left the stands then headed to the walking area. The concession stand was still open and there was a line for the restroom. After all the soda and beer I drank, my bladder was going to explode. “Do you need to pee?”

  Trinity shook her head.

  “Well, I’m not going to make it home. You want to wait?”

  “Yeah.” She stood against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest.

  I got in line then waited fifteen minutes before I could do my business. When I returned to Trinity, she was gone. I looked around for her but couldn’t find her.

  Cayson came up to me. “Have you seen Slade?”

  “No. Have you seen Trinity?”

  “No. I just went to the bathroom and he was gone.”

  My eyes widened. “They’re probably together.”

  “And fighting,” Cayson said.

  We walked for a minute before we discovered them against a wall. But they weren’t fighting. Slade had her pulled to his chest and he rested his face in the crook of her neck. She leaned against him like she couldn’t stand on her own. She was gripping him tightly like he might slip through her fingers.

  “Maybe they’re getting back together?” I asked hopefully.

  “Or they both succumbed to a moment of weakness…”

  We kept our distance and didn’t go near them. They seemed lost in each other, oblivious to the crowd around them. Slade’s hand rested on her back and he held her close.

  They stood there for a long time before they pulled apart.

  Slade said something to her. She said something back. Then he cupped her face and kissed her.

  “Yes!” I jumped up. “They’re getting back together.”

  Cayson kept watching.