“Hi, Kari. How is everything going?”
“You aren’t going to believe what happened,” Kari said, her enthusiasm evident in her voice. “Do you remember Austin Mueller from our American history class last spring?”
“I think so. Dark hair, a little taller than you?”
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“What about him?”
“Well, I’ve kind of been talking to him for the past few weeks, and he just invited me to go home with him for Thanksgiving.”
“That’s great,” Maya said, not sure how she felt about finding out her best friend had been dating someone for weeks and hadn’t even mentioned it to her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going out with someone?”
“I knew you had so many things going on in your own life that it felt weird to talk about the fun I’ve been having,” Kari admitted. “So how are things going with your husband?”
Maya noticed the emphasis on the last word and sensed a tension between them she had never before experienced. “Are you mad at me for marrying Ben?”
“I’m not mad. It’s just weird. I mean, I love you like a sister, but I never actually expected to be related to you.”
“Believe me, I never expected any of this either. If I could have figured out another way, I would have.”
“I know,” Kari said, sounding more like her normal self again. “Tell me how things are with you and Ben. I really do want to know.”
“Everything’s okay so far. He seems a little obsessed with making sure I’m eating right . . .”
“Yeah, he’s always been a bit of a health freak,” Kari told her. “And no offense, but you could use someone to help take care of you for a while.”
Maya knew Kari’s words were probably true, but even though they were offered in a lighthearted tone, they still stung. Before she could say anything, Kari spoke again. “I’m almost to class, so I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay. Bye.” Maya hung up and tried not to envy her friend. She thought back to what it was like to be completely independent, to go out with someone because he was interested in her and not because he felt tied to her through pity. Those memories were vague shadows of her past, ones she couldn’t quite grasp with any clarity.
With a sigh, she tried to appreciate what she did have. Grateful for a fully stocked pantry, she opened a cabinet and took out the new box of Cheerios. Delighting in the chance to have real food, she poured some cereal and milk into a bowl and sat down at the kitchen table. She thought of her conversation with Ben the night before and decided she should probably use her energy to unpack her bags. Then, if she could convince her body to take a nap, she decided she might go crazy and try to fix a real meal for Ben and her.
* * *
Waiters and waitresses bustled around the busy restaurant, the scent of hush puppies and freshly grilled fish lingering in the air. After a quick trip to the grocery store that morning, Ben had decided to spend the day working out at Nationals Park since Maya didn’t need to go to the hospital. Following their workout, he and Gavin had decided to grab some dinner.
Ben pushed back his plate and blew out an appreciative breath. “That was good.”
“I told you this place had good food,” Gavin nodded. “So are you going to tell me what really happened to bring you back to DC? I assume it had something to do with the girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend.”
“Ah. Was that your doing or hers?”
“Definitely mine.” Ben shook his head when he thought of Heather and the way she had followed him to DC. “She was one of those girls you guys warned me about, the kind who just wants the spotlight and attention but doesn’t really care how she gets it. She tried to weasel an invite to Shawn’s wedding. From there, things went downhill fast.”
“Then it’s a good thing you cut her loose before it got too serious,” he said with understanding. “What do you have going on tomorrow?”
“The usual. Lift some weights, go for a run. I might hit at the batting cages tomorrow afternoon.”
“Do you have any set plans tomorrow morning?”
“Not really. Why?”
“The Washington Post is doing a wrap-up piece on our season this year. When the reporter found out you were in town again, he asked if maybe you could come along and be interviewed too.”
“Yeah, I guess I can do that.”
“Great. I’ll swing by and pick you up around nine. We’re meeting him at Aquarelle at the Watergate Hotel.”
Ben started to agree, then remembered Maya. “Actually, I have a couple things I have to take care of before then. How about I just meet you there?”
Gavin looked at him suspiciously. “You have stuff to take care of before nine o’clock?”
“It’s just that I promised to give a friend a ride to a doctor’s appointment.” Ben went over Maya’s schedule in his mind. Thursday was infusion day, so he should have plenty of time to go with Gavin and still make it back before she would be ready to come home. Worst case, he could send a car for her.
“Anyone I know?”
Ben shook his head. He glanced at his watch to see that it was nearly ten o’clock at night. “It’s getting late. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“See you then.”
* * *
Maya’s whole body ached. She had thought she was doing so well when she’d managed to unpack both of her suitcases. She had even made sure she rested about halfway through. Unfortunately, in the busyness of putting everything away, she had forgotten to take her medicine until the pain had already started pulsing through her head.
She had remembered to eat a couple of crackers while she downed her medicine, then she had climbed back into bed to try to hide from the pain by sleeping.
The idea of cooking dinner had been a good one, one she knew she’d have to postpone for another day.
She had slept away much of the late afternoon and evening and was surprised when she came out of her room to find that Ben hadn’t come home yet.
She had debated whether to wait for him before eating dinner. Needing to gather her strength, she had put on a movie and settled down on the couch. When seven o’clock came and went without any sign of him, she decided a handful of almonds was all she had the strength to eat.
The dregs of her headache continued to linger, and when the movie ended, she finally gave up on having anyone to talk to today. Feeling very much alone, she went back to her room in the hope that she could conjure up some good dreams.
Chapter 22
Ben felt like he was living a dream. When Gavin had invited him to tag along, Ben had expected to have a nice breakfast and maybe answer a few questions. Instead, he arrived to find a whole group of people there, including his manager, two other teammates, the director of public relations for the Nationals, and a photographer. A private chef tended to their table, preparing an incredible brunch as the reporter explained what was actually going to be a series of articles.
A ripple of anticipation mixed with a healthy fear of failure when Ben learned the title of the series: The Secret to Next Year’s Success.
When the photographer started taking individual photos of each of them, Ben leaned over to Trent Farley, the PR director, and asked, “Am I really supposed to be here? Gavin only asked me yesterday to come.”
“Actually, they were going to do a separate piece on you, but I pushed for them to keep it more team oriented. That’s why I asked Gavin to invite you along. Jack doesn’t like how the pieces on individuals can make players feel too much pressure,” Trent said, referring to the team’s manager.
“I’m definitely feeling the pressure.”
“One of the things the franchise loves about you is that you’re so down-to-earth and you haven’t let the media dictate your actions. You just keep doing what you’re doing, and if the press starts to bother you too much, you let me know. My job is to make sure the media doesn’t get in the way of you doing your job.”
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Ben thought of his secret marriage and said, “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
The photographer called out to him. “Okay, Ben. We’re ready for you.”
He crossed to where the photographer indicated, going through the routine of having his photo taken, both individually and with his teammates and manager. When the interviews continued and the players shared some of the antics they had pulled on Ben as a rookie, Ben got caught up in the moment.
* * *
Maya looked at her watch, her concern heightening. Admittedly, she didn’t know Ben well, but so far, every time he’d said he would be somewhere, he was on time or early. They hadn’t really talked much this morning when he’d driven her to the hospital, but he had said he would pick her up between twelve thirty and one. It was now two thirty.
“Hey, Maya. What are you still doing here?” Henry asked when he noticed her sitting on a chair inside the main entrance.
“Still waiting on my ride.”
“Ben?”
Maya nodded.
“What time was he supposed to pick you up?”
“Over an hour ago.” Maya shook her head. “He’s always been on time before. Something must have come up.”
“Come on. I’ll walk you home.”
“Henry, I don’t want you to have to do that. It’s freezing outside.” As if to punctuate her words, the automatic doors opened when a man walked inside and brought with him a frigid gust of air.
“That’s why I’ve got my coat.” He pushed his empty wheelchair toward her. “Come on. You need to get home and get some rest.”
Maya relented and shifted herself into the chair. “You know, after all of these treatments are over, I’m going to be cooking for you every night for a year to pay you back.”
“Now, don’t be silly. I think every night for a month will work out just fine.”
Maya managed a small smile. “I really do appreciate you.”
“Which is why I don’t mind helping you out.” Henry pushed her toward the door. “Now bundle up. Like you said, it’s cold outside.”
* * *
Ben was still on cloud nine as he turned the corner toward home. The music was blaring, his stomach was full from the brunch that had lasted into the afternoon, and Trent was thrilled with how everything had gone with the reporter and photographer. Trent’s comment about turning problems over to him if the need ever arose gave Ben an extra sense of comfort about the situation with Maya.
His hands tightened on the wheel, and he looked at the clock on the dashboard: 2:52. He let his head fall back, instantly irritated both at himself and this new responsibility. How could he have forgotten that he was supposed to pick up Maya two hours ago? He pulled up to a light, calculating the easiest way to circle back to the hospital, then he saw Henry bundled up in his overcoat, pushing an empty wheelchair.
A ball of lead formed in Ben’s stomach. He could only imagine Maya sitting at the hospital waiting for him all this time, and on an infusion day, no less, when she had already been at the hospital half the day. And to have to be escorted home in the cold by a sixty-year-old man. Ben tried to justify to himself with the fact that she was lucky he had offered to give her rides in the first place and that he had gone to the extreme of helping her out by marrying her, but the truth was that he had made a promise and he hadn’t kept it.
He parked his car, an apology circling in his head as he made his way upstairs to his apartment. He unlocked the door and walked inside to find the apartment absolutely silent. For a moment, he wondered if perhaps Henry had been helping someone else, but then he noticed Maya’s purse on the couch.
He dropped his keys on the coffee table and continued through the living room to her closed bedroom door. He stood there in silence for a minute, listening for any sound coming from her room. When he heard none, he tapped lightly on the door. No response. He knocked a little harder this time. Again, nothing.
He tried to remember if maybe she had left her purse at home that morning, but he was pretty sure it had been hanging over her shoulder when they’d left. Worried that maybe he was wrong and she hadn’t made it home after all, he quietly opened the door and spoke in a low voice. “Maya?”
The frail figure on the bed didn’t move. Her long hair spilled out onto the pillow, and her face was pale. Her only visible movement was the gentle rise and fall of her shoulder as she breathed.
Based on when Ben had seen Henry walking on the street, he estimated that she couldn’t have been home for more than five or ten minutes. How was it that she could be sound asleep so quickly?
Taking a step back, Ben quietly closed the door. Helplessness mixed with a mass of other emotions, and he headed into his own room. After changing into his cold-weather workout clothes, he headed downstairs and outside into the cold. He started down the street at an easy jog, eager to get his body working and his mind clear. He hadn’t gone a quarter mile before a gust of wind took his breath away, making his lungs feel like they were filled with shards of glass. Guilt pummeled through him again as he thought of Maya and Henry having to walk through the cold because of him.
How was it, he wondered, that until meeting Maya, he had hardly ever felt guilty about anything, but now that seemed to be a dominant emotion? Sure, he hated it when he struck out in a game or if he fumbled a play at second base. He even felt a little bad about how things had ended with Heather, though that was mostly because he hadn’t been more direct when he had first tried to break things off with her. Yet he hadn’t felt any real remorse when he’d finally taken a stand and sent her away.
What was it about Maya that made him feel responsible for her? Was it knowing she might be dying or perhaps the way she was so hesitant to ask for help?
The knots in his stomach tightened at that thought. His sister might have been the catalyst in putting Maya in his life, but he had been the one who had offered to take on the responsibility of helping her. As hard as it was to admit it, he had messed up because he wasn’t used to thinking about anyone but himself.
He pounded down the sidewalk, his mind rolling these facts over and over in his head, and he put several miles between him and his apartment. By the time he circled back toward home, he was already thinking about how he could apologize to Maya. When he noticed a florist near the hospital, he slowed and decided that flowers were probably a good way to start.
* * *
Maya didn’t need a thermometer to know she had a fever. Her skin felt warm and clammy, and chills worked through her body. She wrapped her blanket more tightly around her, hoping to conquer this latest illness with sleep.
She should have known better than to let Henry bring her home today. Ben would have shown up eventually. Unless something really had happened to him.
The thought that he might have gotten in an accident or maybe injured at practice worked its way uncomfortably into her mind. He hadn’t told her where he was going today, but she assumed he had gone to the ballpark like he had the last couple of days. She told herself he was probably fine, but her uneasiness prevented her from falling back asleep.
Still dressed in the loose-fitting jeans and long-sleeved shirt she had worn to the hospital, Maya climbed out of bed and pulled on a sweatshirt in an attempt to warm up. The room tilted on her, and she put a hand out on the bed to keep from falling over. The sky was already dark outside of her room, and she didn’t bother to look at the bedside clock to see what time it was. All she wanted was to make sure Ben had made it home all right and to get something in her stomach so she could take her evening pills.
It took her a moment to regain her balance, and she kept one hand on the wall as she moved toward the door and then down the hall toward the kitchen. The sound of the television proved that Ben had indeed made it home. She didn’t have the energy to worry or care about why he hadn’t picked her up today. She simply wanted to get back to her bed as quickly as possible.
She caught the scent of fresh roses but didn’t look into the living
room, where the smell originated from. She managed to make it to the kitchen before Ben spoke to her from where he was sitting in the living room. “Are you okay?”
Maya didn’t answer. Her focus remained on finding the fastest food to put in her stomach so her pain medicine could follow. She glanced at the refrigerator but decided the door would be too heavy to deal with. Instead, she opted for the simplicity of a saltine cracker.
She ate one and started back toward her room to get her pills, but before she could even leave the kitchen, Ben appeared in the doorway, a vase filled with white roses in his hands. “Maya, I’m so sorry about today. I had an interview, and I completely lost track of time.”
“It’s okay,” Maya mumbled, trying to continue past him, even though he was holding the roses out for her.
“I got these for you,” Ben offered them again.
Maya looked at the elegant flowers, but all she could think about was the way her legs felt like rubber. When she didn’t offer to take the roses, Ben set them down on the counter. “I really am sorry.”
She managed a weak nod and took another step forward. Without a wall to hold on to, she stumbled when the room started tilting again. Ben reached out and grabbed her arm, catching her before she lost her balance completely.
“Are you okay?” He seemed to study her more closely and then lifted a hand to her forehead, his fingers cool against her skin. “You’re burning up.”
“I’ll take some Tylenol,” Maya managed, wishing he would let her go so she could collapse in her room.
“Do you want me to get some for you?”
“It’s with my other pills in my room.” Maya took another step down the hall, only to stumble a second time. Then, to her surprise, Ben leaned down and scooped her into his arms. The movement sent her head spinning, and she didn’t know what to think of the odd sensation of being cradled in Ben’s arms. “What are you doing?”
“You can barely walk.” Ben carried her down the hall and into her room.
She wanted to stay right here in his embrace, but the pain wouldn’t allow that even if Ben would. “I just need to take my medicine and rest for a while.”
Chances Are Page 14