by Pat Simmons
Rahn braced for his nephews’ customary tackle, feigning helplessness by yelling for his brother-in-law. And, as always, Louis deserted him, forcing Rahn to ask for a time-out. His nephews enforced the penalty of dragging him to their shared bedroom, where they showed off the latest additions to their baseball card collection and their new catcher’s gloves.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” Julian asked. He grinned, showing a gap from a missing tooth.
Before Rahn could answer, Julius bumped his brother out of the way. “Are you going to have babies and give us cousins to play with? Aunt Mary only has stupid girls.” He gagged as if he was going to vomit.
Julian picked up his glove and struggled to wiggle his small hand inside. Rahn helped him. “Uncle Rahn, can we come live with you in your mansion?”
“Come eat!” Phyllis called from the kitchen. Rahn couldn’t ask for better timing to escape their inquisitive minds.
As expected, the boys asked about their grandmother, and then Julian repeated his request: “Can we come and live with you, Uncle Rahn?”
“Say the word, and I’ll pack their bags,” Louis joked. Or maybe he was serious. It was an entertaining dinner, as always.
After everyone had finished, Louis helped his sons with their homework, while Rahn brainstormed a plan of action with his sister. “So, we agreed on a medical monitoring service?” Rahn recapped.
Phyllis nodded. “Yes, in addition to me stalking her and you harassing her over the phone. And you know she doesn’t want to come and live with me, so I think we’ve got it covered. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, do I hear wedding bells?” His sister grinned.
“It’s possible.” He shrugged. Baseball season was a terrible time to start a relationship, but he and Shae were putting in a lot of effort to make it work. “As a matter of fact, I’d better go text her.”
“I’m surprised you lasted this long.” She gave him a goofy grin.
Retiring to the guest bedroom, Rahn did just that.
I saw Mom. She’s okay, but she has full-blown diabetes and will have to take medicine for the rest of her long life. Miss you and love you forever.
Smiling, he hit “send.” Regardless of what city or time zone he was in, Rahn drew comfort from knowing they would always talk before the night was over.
Rahn showered, dressed in a fresh set of clothes, and read a few passages from Hebrews. A while later, his cell phone played Shae’s distinctive ringtone. He hadn’t realized he had closed his eyes. “Hey, baby.”
“You sound tired.”
Yes, he was, but Rahn wasn’t about to fess up to it. After recapping his discussion with his mother’s doctor and the plan he and Phyllis had decided on, he told her about Benjamin’s struggle with sickle-cell anemia.
“Jesus, please perform a miracle in his body,” Shae whispered. “I did a story months ago on how diseases affect certain ethnic groups, broken down by age and sex. My heart ached the entire time I worked on that piece. I’ll keep praying for your mother and Benjamin, too.”
“I knew you would.” Their conversation was cut short when, this time, it was he who did a poor job of muffling a yawn.
After a restless night, the morning came too soon. Back at the hospital, the doctors were confident that his mother could be discharged if she agreed to follow a strict daily diet and exercise regime. Neither Rahn nor Phyllis batted an eye, to show her they meant business, so their mother agreed. Next on Rahn’s agenda was Benjamin. However, when Rahn checked, the young man was no longer in his room. He inquired after him at the nurses’ station.
“Benjamin Cross was moved to a regular room earlier this morning,” the nurse informed him. “He’s on the sixth floor.” She gave him the room number.
After thanking the woman, Rahn rode the elevator down with his mother and the hospital staff member who was pushing her wheelchair. He got off on Benjamin’s floor, while his mother continued to the lobby, to wait for his sister to bring the car around.
Rahn sauntered down the hall, checking the numbers by the doors.
“May I help you?” a nurse asked. Two other nurses looked up at him, and one gave him a seductive glance.
Shaking his head, Rahn spied room 612 and pointed. “Thanks.” He tapped on Benjamin’s door before proceeding inside. This time, a woman sat at the bedside. Her weariness was evident by the dark circles under her eyes. By contrast, Benjamin appeared more alert today than yesterday.
“Mr. Maxwell. Hello.” She stirred in her chair, about to get up, but Rahn stopped her. She seemed relieved as she leaned back. “I’m Denise, Bennie’s mother. My husband told me you offered a prayer for him. Thank you. As you can see, prayer does change things. My son’s improved condition is evidence of that. He’s been expecting you.”
“And I’ve been looking forward to seeing him, too.” Smiling, Rahn pulled out the autographed baseball from his inside jacket pocket. He personalized it, then handed it over.
“Thank you,” Benjamin said, with awe in his tone, his voice stronger than yesterday. He even threw out a few of Rahn’s stats.
Rahn was about to leave when Denise stopped him. “Mr. Maxwell, please don’t stop praying for him.”
“I’ll remember.” As he retraced his steps back to the elevator, a smile tugged at his lips. Yes, Jesus, prayer does change things. Thank You.
He and his sister got their mother settled back in her home in no time. Rahn double-checked the instructions with his mother to the point that she’d become irritated. “I know how to take care of myself,” she snapped. “I took care of two children and a husband.”
“Okay, Mom,” Phyllis conceded.
As Rahn prepared to leave that afternoon to rejoin the team in Atlanta, the family linked hands for a group prayer. Again, Rahn waited on God to speak to him, as others looked to him to take the lead. He said a simple, heartfelt prayer for healing and wisdom.
“Amen,” they all said together.
“Next time you come home, bring Miss Carmen,” his mother demanded with a smile.
“I will.” Rahn winked, then kissed her cheek before leaving.
Phyllis dropped him off at the airport. He texted Shae before he boarded the plane.
I’m leaving. Mom’s doing better. Wish I could detour to St. Louis to see you. Love you.
His sister had asked him about wedding bells. Maybe it was time for them to start ringing. Shae was interwoven in his heart and world.
24
Shae was spoiled—and it was Rahn’s doing—but she wasn’t complaining. As a matter of fact, he had established a protocol, and now she expected flowers to be delivered at the station whenever he returned from a road trip.
Diane Duncan inhaled the fragrance of the latest floral showpiece gracing Shae’s desk, then stated the obvious: “Umm, Mr. Maxwell must be home.”
“Of course!” Shae beamed, barely glancing over her shoulder. An invitation to breakfast the next day—their “welcome-home meal”—was included with every delivery, but her colleague didn’t need to know that.
Shae was off the next day, but the Cardinals were starting a three-game home series against the Cincinnati Reds. Lately, it seemed as if her schedule and Rahn’s were never in sync, but they were determined to squeeze in a few private moments before he took off again, beginning with their breakfast date.
As Shae saved the news copy she had just finished writing, she sensed a presence behind her. Twirling in her chair, she was surprised to see Diane still standing there, arms folded, studying the arrangement.
“Did you want something?”
Diane huffed and shook her head. “How do you do it?”
Staring at her, Shae was dumbfounded. Unless she’d zoned out like she sometimes did while thinking about Rahn, she was clueless as to what Diane was alluding to.
Perching her behind on someone else’s desk, Diane made a production of fanning her arm in the air as if she was about to take a bow, then whispered, “You’re dating this high-profile celebrity bal
l player, yet you act as if he’s a regular truck driver—no, make that a delivery man for a floral shop.”
Shae narrowed her eyes, waiting to see where this conversation was going.
“The man is hot and on the road, but you don’t seem to have any concerns about trusting him. Has that ever crossed your mind?”
If Diane was trying to bait her to confide in her, then the woman was wasting her time. Shae had three sisters, one mother, two cousins, and Yvette for that. And her trust issues had vanished after Rahn’s first road trip.
She wished she could boast that she didn’t date men she didn’t trust, but she would have to eat her words. The look in Diane’s eyes revealed that she was more than curious. Taking a deep breath, Shae answered, “I trust God, and everything else falls in place. Rahn may be out of my sight, but he’s never out of God’s sight, and neither am I.”
Diane shook her head. “You and your Jesus.” She walked away, mumbling her own philosophy about dating.
Shae chuckled as she gave an imaginary high-five to her sister. She could hear Brecee say, “Good save.”
***
Two days—two dates. That’s exactly what Rahn and Shae had planned before his next trip. Both were determined to make a marathon out of it. Since Shae wanted to see a movie, Rahn took her to see 42, the story of how Jackie Robinson had helped integrate baseball.
Shae seemed reflective as they exited the theater and strolled through Plaza Frontenac toward Bissinger’s Chocolate. His woman couldn’t resist a taste of English Almond Toffee.
With her arm looped through his, she was still commenting on the movie. “So that explains why all the players on every team wore the number forty-two on their jerseys on April fifteenth.. I guess that’s one way never to forget the power of one—one man caught between the post-slavery struggle and the pre-affirmative action/equal opportunity era.”
Shae had a way of sucking Rahn into her commentaries on various issues. It was part of who she was, and he wouldn’t change anything about her—even her job—because that was her passion. Of course, God was first; Rahn was just glad he’d made the cut. He grinned to himself, then nodded to a few shoppers who clearly recognized him and were respectful of his off-time.
“What’s your take?” she asked, pulling him out of his reverie.
“I agree with your conclusions.” It took him a minute to remember exactly what she had been saying. “Uh, my parents, especially my father, made sure I understood the ramifications of the Civil Rights Movement and why it had to happen. I have to admit, at times, I’ve forgotten about those sacrifices and fallen short of my own expectations.”
He could still recall his father’s words of wisdom on the subject: “Don’t take the pleasures you enjoy lightly. Christ paid the price for our sins, and many of our ancestors paid the price of living proudly to be black and forcing the majority to open doors. Walk through them, Son, mixing humility with a bit of pride. Balance the two and make people of color proud.”
“What’s ironic is, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the late nineteen forties for blacks to play in an integrated league, yet the number of African-Americans playing baseball has dwindled,” Rahn added.
“And the reason is…?” Shae prompted him, switching to her reporter persona. The woman had to be the most inquisitive person he knew, and that was saying a lot, remembering his two rambunctious nephews. As they neared Bissinger’s, Shae slowed her pace. She was an astute listener and gave him her attention.
“There could be a number of factors,” Rahn mused aloud. “The League reaches out to more people of color who aren’t U.S. citizens. For some African-American boys, baseball isn’t the cool sport it used to be—not when they can get full-ride athletic scholarships for football and basketball. The reasons could be endless. But Jackie Robinson made sure the door would never be locked again—in theory. Society knows how to get around it.”
Shae nodded. “But there will always be first blacks to open doors, like President Obama, who opened the door for other people of color to achieve the highest office in the land, or the ABC television affiliate in Utah that hired the state’s first African-American news anchor in 2013. My hope is that doors will continue to open for people of color, especially blacks, where their opportunities won’t be breaking news anymore but part of the norm. Now, let’s get my toffee.” Shae playfully dragged him into the store, knowing that he would go willingly anywhere with her.
“Beauty and brains…priceless.” Rahn smiled and proceeded to do her bidding.
The day before Rahn and the team were set to leave, Shae wanted to do something fun and silly. She complained that eating out was adding inches to her waistline.
Definitely not true. “Woman, don’t you change a thing that God endowed you with!” Rahn told her. “Whatever pounds we pick up together, we’ll lose together. You and I are a team.”
He liked her curves and her pretty baby-doll face, both of which could rival singer Beyoncé’s. Her sleek ponytail and large sunglasses made a fierce-looking pose for any photographer.
After they shared a light breakfast, Rahn drove them to Creve Coeur Park, where a neighborhood carnival was under way. As always, Shae encouraged him to interact with his fans when they approached him, while she stood on the sidelines. No other woman he’d dated had displayed that level of patience. “Sorry,” he mouthed.
She made a production of removing her sunglasses, winking, and then sliding them back on.
Rahn knew when to call it quits whenever he spied male admirers engaging Shae in more than a cordial conversation. He reached out for her hand. “I have this lovely lady who wants to get on the Ferris wheel. Is anybody going to ride with us?” The children cheered and raced to line up. It was the only tactic Rahn could think of to keep the crowd of fans from growing.
“Good move, Mr. Maxwell,” Shae murmured.
“This is our time.” He squeezed her hand, and they strolled to join the others in line. Finally, when it was their turn, they climbed into the seat, and Rahn clicked the metal bar closed, securing them in place, before the attendant came to check it.
As the wheel lifted them in the air, one car at a time, Rahn relaxed and squeezed Shae’s shoulders. The season was only halfway finished, and he didn’t know how he would survive their dating schedule during the second half. “For the first time, I have mixed emotions about participating in the All-Star Game,” he confessed.
She looked up at him. “Why? You deserve it.”
“What?” He eyed her suspiciously.
“I voted for you for the outfielder position and rallied up the troops on the social networks.” She beamed, looking proud of herself, as the wind ruffled the strands of hair that had come loose from her ponytail.
Rahn was speechless. It took a minute for him to register what she’d said. Finally, he found his voice. “Babe, it’s important to me to honestly earn whatever accolades I receive.”
“And you did. Your batting average is two seventy-five with fifteen home runs. Plus, this is your third appearance…”
“You amaze me.” Every day he fell more and more in love with her. “You are really in my corner.”
“Always,” she screamed, laughing, as their car climbed higher and picked up speed.
“You’re a jewel, you know that?” At times, telling Shae he loved her didn’t seem to be enough. Two hearts beating as one was true of them.
After the Ferris wheel had made two or three complete rotations, the ride slowed, and the attendant began letting riders off. While Rahn and Shae were suspended at the top, he enjoyed the bird’s-eye view of the park. He never would never noticed the small pond between the trees on the ground, or estimated the crowd to be so large.
As their car descended, Shae slipped her fingers between his. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome. I’m enjoying this, too.”
“Not just the ride, silly, but forcing me to share that piece of cake with you…” She bit her bottom
lip as he chuckled. “I didn’t think I would take another chance, but falling in love with you…I can’t even describe the magnitude of my happiness.”
“I feel the same way.” Rahn nodded. “Second chances have a way of making a man appreciate the blessings in front of him and stop chasing illusions that mimic happiness.”
“Maybe I was chasing after the illusion of a good man. I tricked myself into believing Alex was the one.” She looked away. “As an investigative reporter, I should have sniffed out the fact that something was out of order about him. I never would have guessed that jerk was still married.”
Rahn used his finger to turn her face back toward his. “You’re an excellent reporter. I’ve seen your skill and dedication. You said some of your stories have been nominated for awards, and I’m sure you’ll win. As your number one fan, I’m here to cheer you on and make sure you’re always happy.”
“Keep loving me, and nobody gets hurt.”
Where had that come from? He was about to laugh, but Shae didn’t crack a smile. Rahn hated that her ex had somehow found his way into their conversation. “Consider it done,” he said, then stepped off the ride.
25
Shae had a front-row seat to cheer on Rahn’s performance at the All-Star Game at Citi Field in Queens, New York City. She had taken off work and was glued to her TV. She sat on her sofa, decked out in baseball gear. From the Cardinals cap tilted on one side of her head to the socks on her feet, Shae was showing her love. Instead of pigging out, she snacked on a plate of veggies and dip. Despite Rahn’s appreciation of her assets, she refused to add more depth to her curves.
Brecee sent her a text.
He is one fine man.
Shae giggled before texting back.
Yes, he is.