by RJ Nolan
Riley offered a tentative smile. “Sure,” she said, sounding anything but.
Sam started the car. “Well, like in professional sports, I think you always enjoy a game more if you know the players. So let me tell you a little about my team and the games we’ve won and lost so far.”
“I’d like that.” Riley’s smile seemed much more genuine this time.
* * *
“I pulled my brand-new jersey out of the dryer, and one of the numbers was gone. Instead of my name and the number ten, now I have McKenna and a big zero on my back.”
Picturing the look on Sam’s face at seeing her jersey, Riley laughed. “What did you do?”
“What could I do? It was the only jersey I had and the game started in less than an hour. I figured I was never going to hear the end of it.” Sam tapped her blinker and turned into the sports center. “Thankfully, my friend Marina came to the rescue. She had a roll of duct tape in her truck. Taped a number one on the back of my jersey.”
After the awkward start to the day, things were looking up. Sam had spent the drive regaling her with stories about her team and her experiences playing softball.
Sam hunted for a spot in the crowded parking lot.
Riley gazed out the car window. “I know you said it gets crowded, but I didn’t expect this many people.”
“The kids’ leagues play in the morning, then afterward, the adults. Our league uses one field, and the men’s league uses the other three, so it does get busy.”
“There’s a spot.” Riley pointed to the next row over.
“Thanks.” Sam made her way to the space and parked. “I should probably warn you, some of the women can get a little rowdy and mouthy. Just ignore them.”
“I don’t lead that sheltered a life.” Riley turned in her seat, then arched an eyebrow at Sam. “I do work in the ER, you know. I’ve seen and heard plenty.”
Sam flushed. “I know. I just…I just want you to have a good time.”
“And I’m sure I will. Now, come on. Let’s go. I don’t want to miss the opening pitch.”
The bright sun warmed Riley’s skin. She tilted her face up to the cloudless sky. The smell of freshly cut grass scented the air. “Couldn’t ask for a nicer day.”
“We’re lucky this year. It’s not supposed to get above seventy-six. Last year, it hit ninety-one during our final game.”
“It’s dangerous to be playing in that heat.”
“Yeah. The officials stopped all the games for two hours when the heat peaked,” Sam said.
Excited voices rang out from behind them. It sounded as if a stampede were headed their way. They were engulfed by a herd of girls dressed in softball uniforms. “We won. We won,” one of the girls shouted. Laughing, they raced away.
“Slow it down!” Sam hollered after them.
Was I ever that carefree? Riley shook her head. Maybe I should take a lesson from those girls. Seize the day.
As they approached the fence surrounding the ball field, the cement sidewalk changed to a gravel pathway.
Riley caught Sam’s arm before she stepped onto the gravel. “Wait. You don’t have your cane. Tony said you need it on uneven surfaces.”
“Tony has a big mouth.”
“Is it in your car? I can go back and get it.”
Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line as she gazed toward the backstop on the baseball diamond. “No. I don’t need it.”
Riley followed her line of sight and saw several women wearing the same softball jersey as Sam. She doesn’t want her co-workers to see her with a cane. Riley understood where Sam was coming from. She wouldn’t want to look weak in front of her co-workers either. “Okay then, let’s go grab a seat.”
Sam’s eyebrows arched over the top of her sunglasses.
Riley smothered a smile. She’s knows me too well. As they stepped onto the gravel, she asked, “Would you mind if I hold your arm? I don’t want to take a chance of losing my balance on the gravel and twisting my ankle.”
Sam pushed back the brim of her baseball cap and tugged down her sunglasses. Silvery-blue eyes glowered at her.
Not the least bit daunted, Riley met her gaze and gave her most innocent smile. “Please.”
Sam muttered what sounded like, “I should’ve known,” then offered her arm.
Riley stepped close and slipped her hand around Sam’s arm. “Thank you.”
Tugging her ball cap into place, Sam snorted. She guided Riley toward the bleachers.
When they reached the fence that separated the players from the fans, a brunette wearing a jersey that matched Sam’s came running up. “McKenna!” She raised her voice. “Hey. McKenna’s back!”
Riley released Sam and stepped aside. She hasn’t been to a game since she got hurt?
Sam was quickly surrounded by her teammates.
“About time you showed up,” the stocky woman said. “Must be nice not having to work.”
A beautiful Latina threw her arm around Sam’s shoulders. “Yeah. Just sitting around on your ass while the rest of us take up the slack.”
Smiling, Riley leaned against the nearby fence. Insults flew back and forth. Not one woman mentioned Sam’s injuries. To some, it might have seemed callous, but Riley understood; it was no different than the sometimes dark humor shared among the ER staff. Riley had eyes only for Sam as she bantered with her friends. This was a confident, boisterous side of Sam she had never seen.
“Are you going to flap your lips all day, or are we going to play some ball?” a voice yelled from the vicinity of the players’ bench.
“Come on. You can strategize with Coach,” the brunette who had called everyone over said and tugged on Sam’s arm.
Sam shook her head. “I brought a friend to the game.” She pointed in Riley’s direction. “I’m going to sit with her.”
The group fell silent, and all eyes turned toward Riley, who straightened, trying not to show how uncomfortable she was at finding herself the center of attention.
Sam extricated herself from her friends and went over to Riley.
Most of the women filed back toward the players’ bench, but several followed Sam.
She moved close to Riley’s side but didn’t touch her. “These are my teammates.” She pointed to each woman in turn. “Karen, Ann, Marina, and Diane. Everyone, this is my friend Riley.”
“Hello,” Riley said, trying not to squirm under the scrutiny of the women. She could see the questioning looks going back and forth between them. Did any of them recognize her from the news reports?
“Hey, Riley. Nice to meet you,” Marina said and stuck out her hand.
Riley shook hands with her, then the other women followed suit.
An awkward silence filled the space around them.
“Any time, ladies. I’m not getting any younger.” A middle-aged, black woman poked her head around the fence. “Welcome back, McKenna.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
Riley smiled. That must be Louise. Sam had spoken of the retired police officer with great affection. Louise was not only their coach; she also owned the bar that sponsored the team.
“Gotta go.” Karen snapped her fingers. “Oh. Hey, Sam. You going to join us after the game at the bar?”
Sam never said anything about going to a bar!
Sam shot a quick look at Riley. “We’ll think about it.” Grinning, she pulled Karen’s cap down over her eyes. “Depends on if you win.”
“Of course we’re going to win,” Ann said. She pulled off her cap and raked her hand though her short, bleach-blond hair.
“You’ve got that right,” Diane said.
“See you after the game,” Karen called as they headed for the players’ bench.
Marina doubled back. She glanced at Riley, then faced Sam. “Kerry’s out with a wrenched knee.”
Sam frowned. “Who’s taking my spot?”
“We’re short-teamed with you, Darlene, and now Kerry out.”
“Marina,” Sam said, a warning t
one to her voice. “Who has my spot?”
Marina winced, then looked away. “Darcy.”
Sam’s frown turned to an outright scowl. She took several steps toward the field before stopping and turning back.
What was wrong with Darcy playing shortstop? Although it had been a long time since she’d played in a softball league as a child, Riley was pretty sure it was common for players to switch positions as the team needed. Yet it seemed as if Sam was barely restraining herself from charging out onto the field to take her place at shortstop.
Marina looked pointedly at Riley. “Be nice.”
“Yeah. Fine.” Sam crossed her arms over her chest, then muttered something under her breath.
Riley didn’t catch what Sam said, but the grimace on Marina’s face made it clear that she had.
“Later,” Marina said. She jogged away.
Standing silently, Sam stared toward the players’ bench. After several long moments, she blew out a breath and then looked down at Riley. “Sorry about that.” She smiled, but it looked forced.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just that Darcy… ” Sam shook her head. “Never mind. Long story. Let’s grab a seat.”
So much for a having a pleasant surprise coming soon. Never trust a fortune cookie.
* * *
Riley winced as Darcy once again flubbed the ball. The fans around her booed. Several less than complimentary comments were shouted. Darcy had the wiry build and speed of a runner but seemed to lack the agility required to play shortstop.
Sam’s scowl grew more ominous with each passing inning.
If this keeps up, it’s going to be a really long game. While she empathized with Sam, Riley was still disappointed with the unexpected turn her day with Sam had taken.
The opposing team had found the weak spot and was exploiting it. Thanks to Darcy’s errors, Sam’s team was down two runs. And they had yet to score.
Riley held her breath as the next batter sent the ball straight at Darcy.
Diane raced toward Darcy and snagged the ball before she could touch it, then rifled it to Marina at first base, ending the inning.
A cheer went up in the stands.
Yes! Riley brushed her damp hair out of her face.
The next three batters for Sam’s team went down one right after the other. In what seemed like only minutes, the team was back on the field.
“All right,” Sam said. “About time. Put her back where she belongs.” She hadn’t said much during the first three innings, other than to mutter insults at Darcy’s play and urge on her team when they were at bat.
It took Riley a minute to figure out what Sam was talking about. The coach had moved Darcy to centerfield. Diane had taken over at shortstop, and a player Riley didn’t know was covering second base.
Unused to being outside in such heat for an extended period, Riley was starting to feel the effects of the sun. She pressed her face against her sleeve to blot some of the perspiration from her face. With her light, freckled complexion, she tended to burn rather than tan. Her arms were already starting to turn pink. She cursed herself for forgetting sunscreen and a hat. If she wasn’t careful, she’d look like a lobster by the end of the day.
“Here, put this on.” Sam held out her baseball cap.
Riley jumped. She hadn’t thought Sam was paying any attention to her. “That’s okay. I’m fine.”
Sam ignored her and plopped the hat on her head. It dropped down over her ears. Laughing, Sam pulled it off and adjusted the band, then offered it again. “Take it. You’re getting burnt.”
“What about you?”
“I’m used to the sun.” Sam held out her arm. Sun-bleached hair stood out against her golden tan.
“Okay. Thanks.” Riley settled the ball cap on her head.
Sam turned in her seat and called out, “Hey, Janie. Can I bum your sunscreen?”
A redhead sitting three rows above them said, “Sure.”
“Thanks.”
A tube of sunscreen was passed hand to hand through the crowd until it reached Sam. “Janie always has sunscreen for her kids.” She handed the tube to Riley.
Oh great. Now Sam thought she was a little kid who needed looking after. Riley applied the sunscreen liberally before sending it back to its owner. She waved to Janie in thanks.
While they had been involved with the sunscreen, Sam’s team had returned the favor and retired the other team’s batters in order.
“Now that’s more like it,” Sam said, a smile lighting her face for the first time since the game started.
Riley’s smile mirrored Sam’s. Hope Sam’s team can catch up. But win or lose, she just wanted to enjoy her time with Sam.
* * *
“Yeah.” Sam stamped her feet. “Go, Diane!”
Riley clapped and added her voice to the cheering crowd as Diane headed for second base.
Sam grinned at Riley’s enthusiasm. You’re lucky she has any left. Her smile faded. She knew she’d overreacted earlier, but she had already felt that she was letting her team down by not being able to play. Having Darcy, who never missed a chance to take a dig at her, replace her was like having salt rubbed into the wound. That’s still no reason to ruin Riley’s day. Ashamed of her behavior, she vowed to make the rest of the game fun for Riley.
The next batter approached the plate.
“Rhonda will bring Diane home,” Sam said. “She’s our strongest hitter.”
Riley smiled. “I still can’t get over how fast they pitch. I was expecting a nice, slow, arcing toss.”
“Yeah. That’s what we played when I was in high school. Most of the women’s leagues are still slow-pitch, but there are fast-pitch leagues like this one as well.” Sam laughed. “These pitchers can blow that ball past you before you know what happened.”
The whump of the ball against the bat drew their attention back to the field.
The crowd leaped to their feet as the ball sailed deep into left field. A chant rose up. “Go. Go. Go.”
The ball easily cleared the back fence.
Sam whooped. “Home run!”
“All right!” Riley grabbed Sam’s arm and jumped up and down.
“I told you.” Sam wrapped an arm around Riley’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug. She caught the curious stares from several of the other players’ spouses and let her arm drop. Watch it. You know how fast rumors get started and spread. She didn’t want anyone thinking that Riley was her latest conquest.
A collective groan issued from the fans when Marina hit an infield fly that was easily caught, ending the inning with a tied score.
“There’re three innings left,” Riley said, in an apparent attempt to cheer Sam up.
The next two innings flew past, with neither team managing to score. The opposing team was preparing to take the field for the seventh and final inning.
“What happens if no one scores here?” Riley asked. “Does the game end in a tie?”
“No. It’ll go into extra innings.” Sam rubbed her hands up and down her denim-clad thighs. “Are you getting tired or too hot?”
“No. I just wondered what the rules were.” Riley finished off the last of her water.
Sam wished she could see Riley’s eyes. “You sure?”
Riley put her hand on Sam’s forearm and smiled. “I’m fine. This is really fun. Thanks for asking me.”
Sam’s earlier guilt melted away under the brightness of Riley’s smile. She laid her hand on top of Riley’s. “I’m glad.”
“Batter up!” the umpire yelled.
“Here we go,” Sam said.
In short order, Sam’s team had two runners on base with one out remaining. Marina was the next batter.
Sam cupped her hands around her mouth. “Hey, Sarzedas! Don’t screw this up. Bring them home.”
Marina shot her a thinly veiled, one-fingered salute as she made her way to the plate.
Sam laughed. “Now watch. If you get Marina’s Latin temper up, that just
eggs her on.”
Marina swung at the first pitch and connected. The ball shot through the sweet spot between the shortstop and the third baseman. The center and left fielder chased after the fast-moving ball as the two runners raced around the bases.
The crowd was on their feet cheering. “Marina. Marina. Marina.”
Both runners scored.
A powerful throw by the outfielder held Marina at third base.
Sam’s team now led by two runs.
“See, I told you,” Sam said.
Riley rubbed her hands together and grinned. “We’ve got them on the run now.”
Sam smiled at the use of “we.”
The next batter went down in flames, leaving Marina stranded at third.
“Oh no.”
“That’s okay.” Sam patted Riley’s arm. “The team can hold them. Just three outs, and it’s all over.” It wasn’t anywhere near as certain as she made it sound, but she didn’t want to put a damper on Riley’s enjoyment.
* * *
“Come on, Karen. Strike her out,” Sam hollered. “Strike!”
“Strike. Strike.” The bleachers vibrated as the fans stamped their feet in time with the call.
Gripping the edge of her seat, Riley leaned forward and added her voice to the crowd’s.
The ball flew from Karen’s hand.
“Strike one!” the umpire called.
Again the ball blazed from Karen’s hand.
“Strike two!”
The rising excitement swirled around Riley as if it were a living thing. This is it. Last out.
Karen wound up and let the next pitch fly.
The batter caught a piece of the pitch.
The ball drilled straight for Karen as if laser-guided. It struck her, and she dropped to the ground.
A collective gasp escaped the crowd.
Oh my God.
Sam jumped to her feet. “I’ve got to get down there.” She plunged down the bleacher steps. At the bottom, she stumbled and grabbed the fence for balance, then took off running toward her fallen teammate.