The Carol Wyatt Collection

by Carol Wyatt

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter 1

  Cameron Lucas loved almost everything about the LGBTQ youth center where she volunteered except for the fact that they couldn't afford air conditioning.

  Cameron stood to the side as her best friend, Kayla, wrapped up the meeting. Luckily, Cam had a hair tie on her wrist and she tilted her head back, gathering her auburn locks to put them up in a messy bun.

  There were two fans at the back of the room, but they were just blowing the hot air around the room. A trickle of sweat ran down her now bare neck.

  They had to do something about this heat. It was only the beginning of June and they’d scheduled even more meetings over the summer when the members were out of school.

  She’d grown up with these Jersey summers but every year they seemed to get hotter.

  “We'll see you Wednesday,” Cameron said with a wave to the group as Kayla finished up the meeting and they both stood at the front of the room as the teenagers filed out of the opened planned living room.

  The youth center was originally a two-bedroom apartment but they did the best they could with the space. They could hold about twenty people comfortably when the couches were moved into the bedrooms like they were today. There were gray folding chairs that lined the back wall when there wasn't a meeting. Everyone left back their chair on their way out.

  It wasn't ideal, but it was the best that they had for now. They'd had so many fundraisers over the years and it looked like a separate, privately owned building would be possible for the center in another two years.

  Cam didn't know what she would have done without this place or how different her life would have been if she hadn't stumbled across it five years ago when she was sixteen.

  She'd known deep down that she was gay for a while, but she had no one to talk to about it.

  The only person that she would have told would have been her brother, Stephen, but he'd died a few months before when she was fifteen.

  Cam was struggling to cope with the loss of her brother and coming to terms with her sexuality. They were the worst months of her life but then she saw a flyer for the youth center at the library and decided that she didn't have anything to lose by going.

  Kayla had been the one that Cam had come out to first and she'd been her best friend ever since. She knew that Kayla was only doing her job, but the connection had been instant despite Kayla being twenty-three at the time.

  Kayla helped Cam tell her parents and although they didn't take the news well, Cam's confidence and self-esteem were miles ahead of where they'd been just a few months before when she'd been lost and alone.

  Cam started volunteering at the youth center when she was eighteen, wanting to do everything she could for kids that were like her and could use her words of encouragement.

  When Cam finished high school three years ago, she knew that she wanted to do as much as she could to help others. She didn't know what college she wanted to attend or which course to take but she knew that she wanted to become a therapist.

  Her life would have been so different if she hadn't had this place, if Kayla hadn't been there to talk to. She wanted to do that for someone else, for as many people as she could.

  “We're having our first softball practice this evening,” Kayla said, interrupting Cam from her thoughts. “You should think about coming.”

  “I don't know... Is it just for the summer?”

  “Yeah. Don't worry. We'll be finishing up by the time college starts,” Kayla said, reaching for her bottle of water and taking a long drink.

  “Yeah,” Cam said without thinking it over. “Why not? I'll pick you up.”

  “Great. It starts at five, so you can swing by my place at four thirty, if that's okay? If we're a few minutes early, I can introduce you to everybody.”

  “I'll be there,” Cam said as she grabbed her leather messenger bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Any plans for the rest of the day?”

  “I have a lunch date with Derek.”

  “Oh yeah? How's that going?”

  “Surprisingly well,” she said with a smile.

  Kayla was straight, and Cam could see why a few of their youth club members had a crush on her. She had coal black hair that fell just below her shoulders and sea blue eyes that were always warm and welcoming.

  It was easy for some of the teens to mistake that for attraction. Thankfully, Cam had never been interested in her. Kayla was like the older sister that she'd never had.

  They locked up the apartment and took the two flights of stairs down to the street and back out into the midday heat.

  Softball would be good for her. Cam missed playing. She'd been good in high school but not quite good enough to earn a scholarship. She might make a few new friends too.

  “I'll see you later,” Kayla called as she strolled towards her car that was parked on the street in front of the apartment building.

  Cam waved goodbye as she went in the opposite direction to find her beat up black Honda Civic.

  Chapter 2

  Cameron pulled up outside the field, taking one of the last parking spaces. Kayla had spent the twenty-minute drive towards the Jersey shore telling her about everyone on the team.

  The sun was sinking lower in the sky, but it was still in the eighties and Cam wished she’d thought to bring a cap.

  Cam got out of her car and took her gear out of the trunk. She hadn’t played softball since high school and she was hoping that she wouldn’t embarrass herself. If this went well though, Cam would definitely consider playing in college.

  She opened the trunk and sat on the edge to put her cleats on and lace them up.

  Most of the team were already there. Cam didn’t consider herself shy, but she felt intimidated, stepping out onto the field, and a little out of place.

  With one quick look around Cam could easily see that Kayla was the youngest player by far and she was five years older than Cam.

  She didn’t know why, but she assumed the team would be full of women in their twenties maybe thirties, not that it mattered. It just surprised her to see that most of the women there were in their forties, maybe a few older and a few younger.

  Cam spent so much time with teenagers at the youth club. At twenty-one, she was used to being the oldest in the room most of the time.

  Cam carried her glove and water bottle out to pitcher’s mound where everyone was gathered, chatting, with some of the women doing a few stretches.

  Kayla went down the line, introducing Cam to each of them. They were a mixed bunch. Some had an athletic look, others like this was a social gathering rather than a competitive one.

  The last woman held out her hand. “I’m Jackie. Nice to meet you.”

  Cam noticed her makeup and manicured short nails and automatically put her in the social category.

  “Cam,” she said before she dropped her hand.

  Jackie held her gaze before an older woman came over to stand beside them with a whistle around her neck and battered Yankees cap covering her blond hair.

  “Hi,” the older woman said, extending her hand. “I’m Linda or Coach Harrison when we’re out here.” Cam introduced herself. “So where do you like to play, Cam?”

  “Well, I played short stop in high school so that’s the position I know best.”

  “Jackie is currently holding down that position but you’re welcome to challenge her for it,” Linda said. “This is the first practice of the year. Nothing’s concrete yet.”

  “I don’t mind where I play. I’m just happy to get back playing again.”

  Linda nodded. “We’re going to start out with some fielding drills,” she said, turning her attention back to the group and everyone jogged out to their positions. “Line up behind Jackie,” she said to Cam. “Take a few grounders.”

  Cam slid on her mit and made her way out to the grass, a few yards behind Jackie who took up her position between second and third base.

  Cam’s eyes followed the ball as Linda thre
w it up to herself and hit a grounder to the third baseman. She fielded the ball cleanly but her throw to first base was slightly off target.

  A fast grounder came to Jackie, taking a hard bounce in the dirt in front of her. She still managed to field the ball cleanly, scooping it up and throwing a dart to first base.

  Cam’s eyebrows rose. She had to give her credit. That wasn’t an easy play. Maybe, she’d gotten Jackie all wrong.

  Grounders went around the field and before the second round started again, Coach Harrison told Jackie to swap with Cam.

  Cam got a half smile and a wink from Jackie as they switched places. She didn’t know if it was meant to be friendly or if she was trying to psych her out. Cam cleats crunched against the dirt as she spread her legs, bent her knees and got ready.

  The ball shot off Linda’s bat to Cam’s right. She backhanded the ball. It probably would have been for the third baseman if they’d been playing a game instead of running a drill.

  She planted her feet and threw a laser to first base, hitting the tall woman’s glove at chest height. It was a perfect throw.

  Coach Harrison called out to Jackie. “Better watch out for that one!”

  Cam felt that familiar rush of adrenaline that she used to get when she made a good play. She was glad to be back and thankfully, she wasn’t rusty.

  She took a few more grounders before Kayla took the mound and started warming up.

  Cam watched Jackie jog in and fit a helmet over her silky black hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. She picked up a bat from the row of aluminium bats leaning up against the fence and took a few practice swings.

  Jackie stepped up to the plate, a determined look on her face, that Cam couldn’t help smiling at. Jackie was worried.

  She’s a lefty.

  Jackie let three pitches go by that Coach Harrison called as two strikes and one ball but then Jackie connected with the next pitch, sending the ball in Cam’s direction.

  Cam dove to her left to field the ball that zipped across the grass and onto the clay. She quickly got to her feet and threw the ball to first base, just beating Jackie.

  “Out!” Linda called.

  Cam watched Linda laughing with Jackie as she took off her helmet, lightly hitting her on the arm as Jackie reached for her glove.

  Jackie jogged out to Cam. “You’re up next. Nice throw by the way,” she said, giving Cam another wink.

  Cam gave her a confident smile. “Thanks,” she said as they traded places and Cam went in to find a helmet that fit her and a bat that felt like the right length and weight.

  She took a few swings and then stepped up to the plate. Cam jumped backwards when the first pitch flew in a little too close to her ribs.

  “Come on, Kayla! Throw me something I can hit!”

  She let one strike go by before hitting the next one. It was a looping ball that shot over the second baseman’s head but was well short of the woman playing in the outfield.

  Cam rounded first and sprinted to second base. She took a deep breath. She was happy with that. She wasn’t as rusty as she thought she’d be.

  The next woman jogged in from the outfield to take her turn hitting. She grounded out, but Cam was able to move to third base.

  “So, where’d you come out of?” Jackie asked her as they waited for the next player to put on their helmet and grab a bat.

  “I’m friends with Kayla.”

  “Ah, that explains it,” she said, adjusting her black baseball cap.

  “Explains what?”

  “You’re young. I was wondering how you ended up playing with all of us.”

  “You’re not that much older than me,” Cam said with a slight smile.

  “Really?”

  The next batter was up, and Jackie took a few steps to the left to get back into position.

  Cam couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being hit on. It wasn’t really flirting but there was something in Jackie’s green eyes, a mischievous glint maybe.

  The next batter got to first base and Cam sprinted across home plate. She lifted her helmet off her head and tried to fix her copper colored hair, retying it in a ponytail.

  Everyone else got a turn batting and they did a few more fielding drills before wrapping up the practice. No one was saying goodbye to anyone which Cam thought was odd but then Kayla came up beside her.

  “So, we usually go for drinks at Smokey’s.”

  “Right now?” Cam asked, looking down at her jean shorts and gray tank top.

  “Yeah.”

  “After every practice, you go to Smokey’s?”

  “Yep.”

  Cam laughed. “This really is a casual league.”

  “Yeah. That’s what I love about it. We can leave your car at my house and then walk over if you want.”

  “Sounds good. Although, I’m not really dressed for drinks.”

  “No one is,” Kayla said with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. They’re all going straight over.”

  “Alright,” Cam said as she unlocked her car and they both got in.

  Chapter 3

  Cam tried to fix her hair in the car before they went inside the bar. The best she could do was to tie it back in a messy bun. She didn’t have any makeup on but that’s the way she went to the practice, so she left it. She didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard.

  They climbed the steps and pushed open the glass doors, Kayla going in ahead of her, the cool air hitting them instantly. She’d brought Cam here a few times since she’d turned twenty-one a couple of weeks ago. It was the best bar in town for watching sports.

  Cam recognized some of the players and had to ask Kayla what a few of their names were again. There was one person sitting at the bar whose name she didn’t need to be reminded of.

  Jackie’s jet-black hair was down now, flowing across her shoulders. Her back was to Cam, but she could tell that Jackie was wearing the same clothes that she’d had on at the field: long jean shorts that clung to her athletic thighs and a black tank top.

  Linda came over to them and wrapped an arm around Kayla’s shoulder. “Hey, we’ve been waiting for you to get here. We need you to settle an argument,” Linda said as she led Kayla away to their table in the corner of the bar.

  Cam was left standing at the entrance to the bar. She could follow Kayla and join their table or head over to the bar and order herself a drink, and maybe talk to Jackie.

  Cam knew there wasn’t much of a decision to be made. She was drawn to Jackie. She was also dying for an ice-cold beer but rather than staying at this side of the bar where it was quieter, she wandered halfway down the bar to stand beside Jackie and get the bartender’s attention.

  She stood to Jackie’s left while she ordered her drink, her eyes scanning the rows and rows of bottles on the walls opposite her. “Corona please, with lime.”

  “So, you’re my new competition?” Jackie asked from her bar stool, turning her body to face her.

  “Maybe… I don’t need to play short stop. I can move to third base or wherever the coach wants me,” Cam said honestly.

  “Well, Linda doesn’t do bull shit. She won’t have any problems playing you at short stop and moving me even though I’ve been on the team for the last five years.”

  “I don’t want to cause any problems…”

  “It’s healthy competition,” Jackie said with a warm smile. “I could use it.”

  “You sound like you take this pretty seriously… Are you the only one?” Cam asked, returning her smile.

  “Yeah,” she said with a laugh. “I’m just really competitive. The team is a social outing for most of the players, but I can’t play just for fun.”

  Cam smiled. “I get that. I can’t believe having a few drinks after practice is a thing. I wanted to play to get back in shape… Maybe I need to find a different hobby.”

  “You don’t look like you need to get back in shape.”

  There was that flirting again. Cam could feel her cheeks darkenin
g under Jackie’s confident gaze. There was electricity in the air, silent energy crackling in the space between them like the thick, heavy air before a thunderstorm.

  “Thanks,” Cam said softly as she paid the bartender and pushed the slice of lime down the neck of the bottle, letting it splash into the beer. She took a long swig, the ice-cold beer quenching her thirst.

  “No one’s playing to get in shape, anyway,” Jackie said as she took a drink from her tumbler. “It’s for friendships, the nights out and maybe you might meet someone. It’s a fucking minefield, by the way, if you want to meet someone. It’s almost incestuous.”