Summer Swing

by Delia Delaney

  “Oh gosh,” I groaned. “It’s not like you guys don’t already act that way. Besides, those guys are supposed to be with families. It will be good for you to be there. You’d be like their den mother.”

  She laughed. “Den mother? You honestly think they’d want a motherly influence in the house? I’m sure they love not having that.”

  “No, I think you’re wrong. You may not be older than them—maybe you’re more of a sisterly influence—but I think it’s good when you’re there. You add a comfortable, family feeling to the house.”

  “What makes you think that? Did they actually say that?”

  “Well no, but Tyse has mentioned how much you do around the house—”

  “Tyse? The weird, scary one?”

  “He’s not weird,” I chuckled.

  “Okay, but he is kind of intimidating. He’s really hot—and he’s got that mysterious, tougher-than-nails thing going on for him—but the guy doesn’t even talk.”

  “So? Why does that make him scary?”

  “I don’t know, just because I have no idea who he is or what he’s all about. He’s probably got a bad rap in California, so he had to come up here to play baseball. I just don’t like quiet guys, I guess. There’s too much unknown about them. It’s like they’re hiding something.”

  I’ll admit that I felt very defensive about her judgment of Tyse, but I understood where she was coming from. I myself had judged Tyse unfairly, and now I regretted it.

  “Dawn, Tyse is a really nice guy. If you just talk to him once in a while, he really will talk to you. It’s just a matter of getting him to feel comfortable enough to converse with you, I guess. He actually thinks you’re really nice and that Wyatt is spoiled by you.”

  “Really? He said that? Since when do you talk to the guy? You guys hang out or something?” she added with a giggle.

  “Actually I had lunch with him yesterday.”

  “What? Are you kidding me?”

  I told Dawn about the story of my car and how Tyse had fixed it for me.

  “Now I just think he’s got a thing for you, Ellie,” she chuckled. “Gage better watch out.”

  “Oh, brother. We’re just friends. I think I kind of scare him.”

  “Scare him? What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think he’s used to having people be nice to him or something. He had a really hard time with me paying for lunch.”

  “That’s just his pride.”

  “Well, yeah. But it’s a good thing, I think. You know…at least he’s not the type of guy that takes people for granted.”

  “True, but I still think he’s a bit mysterious. I’m glad that Wyatt is upfront. He’s open and honest, and I don’t have to guess what he’s thinking. And he smiles.”

  I groaned to myself. She hadn’t even gotten the hint that I’d accused Wyatt of taking her for granted.

  “So you’re not really going to kick them out are you, Dawn? They only have a few more weeks left of their summer season and then they all go home.”

  “Oh, is that all?”

  “Yeah, they’re done the second week of August.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that. I guess I didn’t really think about it.” She paused for a few seconds. “Yeah, you’re right. It would be really mean of me to do that. I’ll let them stay, I guess. I don’t want to be a witchy wife from the start. If Wyatt has a problem with them being there then I’ll let him deal with it. So what are you doing today? Oh, are you down in Medford?”

  “No,” I sighed. “Gage had some business stuff he needed to take care of. I might head down there this afternoon, though. What are you doing right now?”

  “I’m just lying around in the hotel room. Wyatt’s still asleep in the other room.”

  “Oh, long night, huh?”

  She laughed. “Yep, we had a lot of fun. You and Gage should come here sometime. Vegas is so fun.”

  “Uh, not to get married,” I clarified.

  “Oh I know. You’re too uptight for that,” she laughed.

  “Yep, and I wouldn’t be caught dead getting married in Vegas. No offense.”

  “None taken. This has been so good for us, though. I finally feel like my life is more complete.”

  “I’m really happy that you’re happy, Dawn.”

  “Thanks Ells Bells. I just hope Mom and Dad can learn to feel the same way.”

  “Well good luck with that.”

  “Ooh, it’s almost noon and Wyatt wanted to go to that lunch thing downstairs. I need to go wake up my husband,” she giggled again. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

  “Okay. Let me know when you get home.”

  “All right. Love ya, Ellie.”

  “I love you too, Dawn.”

  What was it that she just said…? Oh, it was almost noon… Tyse’s game! That’s what struck me about Saturday. I’d totally forgotten. And then Gage had canceled half our weekend, but Tyse didn’t even remind me to go to the game. Maybe he didn’t even want me to go anymore.

  I weirded him out with the hug, I decided. Was the guy just not used to physical contact with anyone?

  I quickly changed my clothes and brushed my hair. I put on a little bit of makeup, what I normally wore, and then took off for the ballpark. It was twelve-twenty when I got there, and I was sure that I’d already missed Tyse pitch the first inning. But to my surprise they hadn’t even started, and as I spotted a place to sit where I usually did, I saw Tyse standing near the fence where I was about to pass. He saw me just as I saw him, and my heart felt relief when he smiled at me.

  “You came,” he said, and I could tell he was surprised.

  “I thought I was going to be late. How come the game hasn’t started?”

  “Oh, I told you noon, didn’t I? That was just to get you here on time.”

  “Really?” I laughed.

  “No, I just thought it was at noon for some reason. We’re about to start, though. I’m, uh, really glad you made it.”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re glad.”

  At the same time, I wasn’t so glad that several of the guys were staring at us. It made me feel really uncomfortable, like I used to feel with Gage, but in somewhat of a different way. This time all I could think about was that they were judging me for other reasons.

  “Don’t mind them,” Tyse told me. “They’re just surprised to see you here.”

  “You mean without Gage being here,” I stated.

  Tyse shrugged. “No, probably because you’re talking to me,” he smiled wryly. “I’m the most anti-social guy on the team.”

  I had to smile too. “Oh, then let them gossip. Oh, guess what?” I asked lowering my voice.

  “What?”

  “No, you really have to guess.”

  “Oh. Uh… You made me a pie?”

  “Great, now I feel bad.”

  “Oh man, I’m sorry.”

  “I’m kidding. But guess again.”

  “Uh, you got a promotion?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Got a new dog?”

  “No way. I can’t even take care of myself.”

  He smiled. “Um, you got a tattoo.”

  “Nope.”

  “Not even to match one of mine?”

  “No.”

  “Uh… Oh, I know. You mastered the whole outrageously funny checklist.”

  “Not even close.”

  “Uh, ten steps to better self-esteem?”

  “Nope.”

  “Good because you don’t need to work on that. You have nothing to be insecure about.”

  I thought I might have blushed with that one, but I still said, “Well thank you, but that’s not it either.”

  “Well it can’t be the baseball thing because I know you’re still clueless.”

  “Hey!” I protested, punching him in the arm.

  He laughed and said, “I’m just kidding. And that hurt, by the way. If my coach saw you do that you’d be kicked out of here.”

  I tota
lly thought he was serious. I also thought I’d just punched his pitching arm, too. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I totally forget that you’re the…you know…starter guy.”

  He was chuckling when he said, “Relax, I’m only kidding. It would take more than that to knock me out of a game.”

  “I’m sorry, though.”

  “Your apology will be accepted when you just tell me what the hell I’m supposed to be guessing,” he smiled. “I gotta line up for the anthem, Ellie.”

  “Oh, right. Uh, my sister and Wyatt got married in Vegas last night.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, and my parents are gonna crap a brick. Each of them. At the same time.”

  He laughed out loud, and that’s when Coach Baxter noticed the two of us talking. If looks could kill, I would have been a goner. How dare I be distracting his starting pitcher, right?

  “Uh, I’d better let you go,” I murmured.

  Tyse followed my gaze and Coach Baxter actually motioned him over with his head.

  “I’m sorry if you’re in trouble,” I whispered.

  “Nah, I can handle this. Will you stick around after the game though? I’ve got some time between the next game.”

  “Sure, I can do that. Good luck, Tyse. Do your best.”

  He only smiled as he left the fence to join his team.

  Oh crap, what if Gage calls and I need to leave? I thought. I groaned to myself as I sat down on the bleachers. I didn’t expect that he would call for at least a couple of hours, but I had no idea. I figured I should just wait to deal with that conflict if it actually came.

  Being at another baseball game felt really good, and I realized how much I’d missed it. It also made me feel awful for Gage because I knew how much he missed playing, too. I really wished his summer hadn’t changed so drastically.

  Tyse did awesome, pitching a no-hitter until the fifth inning. After that the other team only got one hit, and by the time Tyse retired for the game after six innings, we were ahead 3-0. It was two-fifteen at that point, and that’s when Gage called me. I suddenly realized that he would totally know that I was at a baseball game just by the sounds around me, and I felt uncharacteristically paranoid. Would Gage be upset that I was at a Bears game? –Particularly to watch Tyse pitch?

  I had no idea, but I decided to leave the stadium to answer the phone. I didn’t get to the parking lot in time to receive the call, but I called him right back.

  “Oh, I thought you were avoiding me,” he teased.

  “No, I just had to go somewhere quieter,” I admitted.

  “Where ya at?”

  “Um, I came to watch a Bears game while I waited for your call.”

  He didn’t say anything at first, and then he said, “Oh. Who’s pitching?”

  “Tyse.”

  He was silent again.

  “We’re up 3-0 going into the eighth,” I decided to casually add. “So what’s the plan? Are you heading back to Medford?”

  “Uh yeah, I’ll be leaving in a few minutes. Just gonna eat and then fuel up, and then I’ll be on my way. I should be getting home around…six at the latest.”

  I looked at my watch. If I left Portland right then I’d get to Medford by seven-thirty.

  “Okay, so is it still alright for me to come for the night?” I asked.

  “Of course. That’s why I called, isn’t it? Unless it’s not convenient for you or something—”

  “No, I’m desperate to see you, Gage. I’m on my way.”

  “Good, because I can’t wait to see you, too. I’ll see you when you get here, okay? Call me if you get lost.”

  “Okay. I might call you anyway, just to hear your voice sooner.”

  “Okay,” he laughed. “I love you, Ellie. Drive safe.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Monday afternoon found me at Dawn’s house boxing up her things. It was kind of funny to be around her because she seemed like a lovesick teenager. She and Wyatt had known each other for over four years and been together for over two, but she was so deliriously happy to be married that she acted like she had fallen head over heels for him all over again. I was happy for her though; she deserved to be happy.

  It was also kind of funny to hear her recount the conversation she’d had with our parents, when she’d told them she got married in Vegas. She actually did it over the phone, which didn’t surprise me, and I laughed my butt off when she impersonated our mother about expecting a baby.

  “I can’t believe she assumed I was pregnant,” Dawn said after recapping the story.

  “Well I didn’t even consider it, so obviously it wasn’t on my mind.”

  “That’s because you know I would have told you if that were the case.”

  “True,” I shrugged.

  “So now it’s your turn to tell me about your weekend with Gage.” Her smile was huge, and I was actually thankful for her excitement that time. I guess I could kind of see how giddy love makes a person.

  “It was really good,” I told her with my own big smile. “I still can’t get used to his mom, though.”

  “Maybe the accident made her even grumpier.”

  “Well I can’t blame her for being unhappy. I mean she lost her husband of twenty-six years. She has a right to be upset with life.”

  “Yeah, but you said she didn’t seem to like you before.”

  “I don’t think she didn’t like me. According to Gage she’s just really not good at being friendly. She wants to be, but she just doesn’t have that super friendly personality to her. Anyway, I tried to be really helpful—you know, cleaning and stuff, and I made dinner before I left—but it almost seemed like she didn’t even want me there. I had a really hard time with it.”

  “Hmm, maybe she’s just used to doing all of that herself, and then to have someone come in that she’s not totally familiar with—even if you are her son’s girlfriend—probably made her uncomfortable.”

  “I know, and I even told her that I just wanted to help out, and if there was something she didn’t want me to do—or wanted me to do—to just let me know. She just didn’t seem to care. I mean she’s not even getting around on her own yet, so shouldn’t it have been expected that I would help?”

  “Yeah, it should have been fine. I’m sorry, Elle. In-laws and parents of boyfriends can be really tough. Thankfully Wyatt’s dad likes me, and because his parents are divorced and his mom lives in Arizona, I’ve only been around her a few times. She wasn’t super friendly at first either, but I think she likes me now. And Wyatt barely has to see my parents, so I guess we just kind of stick to one another. I like it that way. My life is with him now, and even though I love Mom and Dad, my husband is going to come first.”

  She asked me more questions about my time with Gage, and I was really happy to share with her. My favorite part had been getting out of the house to go for a walk at the park. We spent about four hours just sitting in the grass, talking and laughing, and it just felt nice to be together. Gage still wasn’t entirely his old self since his dad died, but it was understandable. I believed that he would bounce back with time, and the more we were together, the more confident I felt about that.

  By the time Dawn’s car was full with her things, I was describing to her how hard it was to leave him again.

  “I just wish he could be up here for the summer,” I pouted. “He’ll be going back to school and I’ll probably see him even less. If that’s even possible.”

  “Maybe you should just move east,” she shrugged. “What if you guys lived together while he went to college his last year?”

  “If I took nine months off from work I would totally lose my standing. Everything I’ll have worked for would have been for nothing, and I might have to start at the bottom somewhere else.”

  “But what about next year? When Gage graduates is he gonna move down to Medford again? And if he does, what will you do? And if he doesn’t, then what will he end up doing?”

  I sighed. “I know, I’ve asked myself those
questions a dozen times. I don’t have any answers because I don’t know what he’s going to decide about the business. Everything is so uncertain and it drives me crazy. There are too many ifs, ands, and buts.”

  “What are you willing to do for him, Ellie? If he asked you to move…would you? Or what if he asked you to marry him? Do you love him enough to give up your career for now?”

  “Jeez, Dawn, why don’t you just kick me while I’m already down?”

  She laughed sympathetically. “I’m sorry, but relationships are about sacrifice. If you can’t answer those three questions, Elle… Then I don’t know what to tell you. You guys are still at the beginning, then. You have a long ways to go, so I suggest you don’t make any decisions right now.”

  “I can’t make any decisions until Gage does. I guess that’s the problem. I feel kind of helpless.”

  “Then you know not to worry about it right now. For now you just keep loving Gage, and just do what you can. When an opportunity comes, you’ll know if it’s right.”

  Sometimes I felt bad when I made fun of my sister’s love of love. Not always, but sometimes. But other times I really appreciated her advice, and I felt like that was advice I could be content with.

  We rolled into Wyatt’s driveway—well, Dawn and Wyatt’s driveway now—around six. I was surprised that Wyatt had already planned ahead and ordered Chinese food. I was grateful for that because I hadn’t eaten since noon and I was starving.

  Dawn didn’t sit down to eat though; she was more excited about moving her things into the house. So while they did that, I sat at the counter and ate. I was there for about thirty seconds when Tyse appeared from his room, and I realized that he must not have a game that night if he was home.

  “Do they want help unpacking?” he asked me.

  “Uh, I’m not sure. But if you want to watch them make out in between each box that gets put down, go ahead and ask.”

  He chuckled. “Not particularly, but I’ll ask anyway.”

  “Hey, Tyse,” I called, just as he was heading for the front door.

  He stopped and said, “Yeah?”

  “I’m sorry I had to leave your game—”

  He cut me off with a motion of his hand and smiled. “Don’t even worry about it. I know you had other plans. I’m glad you were there for as long as you were.”