by Mertz, L.
“I’m happy that the two of you are happy, I really am, but I have to play big bad owner in front of those three, for now anyway.” I pause and smile at the two of them. “Your grandmother and I support both of you, you know that. Now, let’s try and keep things family friendly. I don’t want to have to explain certain things to the press, okay?” Now, go and win me some more ball games, Johnathan. And Kelsey, go answer my phone.” I laugh as they both walk out the door. I have to stop from giving myself a pat on the back watching them leave. I call Evelyn, give her the good news, and then call Bob in Chicago.
Johnathan
“Well that was odd,” I say to Kelsey as she goes and sits behind her desk.
“No it wasn’t. I knew my grandfather was up to something at the beginning of the season. I didn’t think it was this.” She motions to the space between the two of us.
“Well, whatever he was up to, I’m glad I was a part of it. I have to head back downstairs and relax and get ready for tonight.” I walk over and kiss the top of her head. “I’ll see you after?”
“Yes, your place or mine?”
“Lauren?”
“She’s out.”
“Your place. See you later.” Leaning over, I kiss her one more time, but she grabs my face and plants her mouth on mine. I moan into her mouth and she returns the noise. She pulls away before things get too heated. “Tonight, we will pick this up.”
“Hmmm, okay. Bye.”
The phone starts ringing and I hear her answer as I leave. I can’t stop the smile that is on my face right now.
Kelsey
Working at the ballpark has its advantages, it’s close to home and I get to spend time with my grandfather when I normally wouldn’t be able to. My grandmother comes into the office after lunch and invites Johnathan and myself over for dinner tomorrow. I ask her if Mom and my uncles will be there and she tells me that it’s just us. I send a quick text to Johnathan to let him know of our plans for the next evening. I leave the office early and head home to change my clothes for the game.
I’m at home getting ready for tonight’s game when I get an alert on my phone saying that I have a text message, but it’s not from a number that I recognize. I open it and it says, “Stop seeing Jonathan or else.” I drop my phone and the face cracks. I stand there in the bathroom thinking who would send this message to me. I know that it’s not a disgruntled ex, because he hasn’t had any serious relationships since Haley. I pick up my phone and save the message.
Lauren is out of town tonight so I’m going to the game alone. As I step out of my complex I’m bombarded with reporters wielding microphones and their camera men. They are yelling questions at me as I try to get away from them. I pull my hat down over my face and keep walking hoping that they will stop following me if I don’t answer them. I try and pull out my phone and text my mom telling her of the situation. She tells me to try and stay calm and just get to the ballpark. I walk a little faster getting away from the vultures. I make it to the safety of the stadium and only one determined photographer is following me.
I walk straight to the family suite and find my mother. She’s sitting in a chair drinking a glass of wine as if nothing has happened. I sit down next to her finally feeling like I can breathe.
“So do you think it’s worth it now? Or are you going to do what I suggested and break up with him?” she asks me, taking a sip of her wine.
“I’m not breaking up with him, Mom.” I won’t do it. I can’t do it. It would break me.
“Well then there’s nothing I can do for you.” She takes a final sip of her wine and sets the glass down on the table next to her. Turning to look at me, she says, “You don’t know what I know. He will leave you, break your heart and not give a damn what it has done to you. You are nothing to him, just a nice piece of convenient ass that does whatever he wants and whenever he wants.”
I look at her not knowing what to think. She’s going to feed me to the wolves and let me get eaten. I can’t believe that. I stand up and walk toward the door of the suite. With my hand on the knob I turn around looking at her, “I don’t need your help anymore. If you can’t support your only daughter then I don’t want to call you my mother anymore. I don’t need you and I won’t speak to you ever again.” I open the door then slam it behind me. Yes, I’m acting very immature but she’s acting like a bitch and I don’t want to deal with it anymore. I make my way down to my seat and ask Stanley to bring me my usual. He does after giving me a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. I try not to tear up at the surprise affection he has given me. I take my seat and the fans around me ignore me and for that I am grateful. I have a few beers, probably more than I should, but I don’t care anymore. I’m pissed at everyone. The reporters for not respecting me, my mother for not supporting me, and myself for not realizing how bad things could get when our relationship became public.
I don’t stay for the entire game, leaving after the seventh inning stretch. I make it back to my condo without being followed. When I reach my door there’s a small white envelope on the ground. Opening my door I reach down and pick it up throwing it on the dining room table and locking the door. I walk to my room and start stripping out of my clothes and run myself a warm bath. It’ll be at least two hours before Johnathan can get back here. I’m sure after the game the reporters will want to talk to him about me and not about the game he just played.
As I soak in the warm lavender scented water I finally start to relax and close my eyes. I have to talk to my grandmother at dinner tomorrow and see what she thinks about everything since I can’t depend on my mother anymore. I must have drifted to sleep because when I feel the calloused hand shake my shoulder I jump, finding Johnathan’s face above me. He looks exhausted.
“You ready to get out? The water is cold,” he asks me, reaching for my towel on the counter. I slowly stand as he wraps the towel around my body. He turns and walks back into my room and I reach out and unplug the stopper and let the water drain down the pipes. He’s sitting on the edge of my bed bent over with his arms resting on his knees. I don’t know what he’s thinking so I just sit next to him waiting for him to talk. The mood right now is the opposite of what it was earlier this afternoon.
“I’m sorry Kelsey. I didn’t… I didn’t think that it would be like this. All of the attention, the spotlights are on us, and it’s almost too much. I don’t want to be in the position where your life is in danger because of me,” he says without so much as looking at me.
“What do you mean by danger?” I ask.
He reaches next to him and hands me the envelope that I left on the table earlier. I open the flap and pull out the contents. As soon as I see what they are I drop them. Pictures. Intimate pictures of Johnathan and myself. Nothing risqué but personal. The two of us walking around town, a few from the night at the club. They were taken from far away and it doesn’t make sense to me at all. In some of the photos my face is scratched out.
“Kelsey, whoever this person is taking the photos is not stable and we need to tell someone. You’re going to need protection.”
I stand up. “No. No, Johnathan. I do not need protection. I will not have some nut job think that she or he can ruin my life. I will not give them the pleasure.” I don’t know where this backbone came from but now it’s here and I’m keeping it. I move to get dressed for bed as he sits and watches me. “Let’s go to bed. I’m tired and I know you are too.”
He gets up and changes his clothes climbing into bed after me. Neither one of us sleeps too well, both tossing and turning throughout the night. I have an early day tomorrow and I know that coffee will be high on the priority list for me.
Kelsey
I’m sitting at my desk when I hear my grandfather on the phone with Coach.
“Skip, I’m coming down to see the boys before practice today and I’m bringing Kelsey with me. Make sure everyone is decent. We should be down there in thirty minutes.” He hangs up the phone and then calls for me to come into the office.
“Yes, Grandfather?”
“Hey, baby girl, I need you to come downstairs with me in a little while. I have an important announcement to make and I need you with me, okay?”
“Yes, I will. Do you need me to bring anything?”
“No, just yourself. I’ll come and get you when I’m ready.”
I don’t know why I have to go with him to the locker room, that’s usually a place that women don’t go unless they are reporters. Time goes by quickly and we are now heading down the elevator. Once the doors open, Grandfather leads me to the locker room, knocking before we enter, just in case. I can see all the guys sitting around still in their practice gear.
“Hello, gentlemen. I just wanted to stop by and tell you all that I am very happy with the team’s performance this season. We have a great group of guys this year and I know that we will be making it into the Post Season. But first I wanted to let you know that there will be a press release this afternoon from our office stating that we will have a co-owner come to the team.”
The team starts to grumble to each other, but he continues.
“I am sure that this as come as a shock to you, but I want you all to be prepared before the game tonight and I know that every reporter is going to be asking all of you questions and your opinion on this decision. I want you to answer politely and honestly. Now, I want you to meet the new co-owner of the Washington Warriors, Miss Kelsey Smyth.”
I gasp and then the locker room is under complete silence. I look at my grandfather and the team. I’m speechless. “What?” is just a question on my lips but it seems to have escaped my mouth.
“Well, baby girl, your grandmother and I aren’t getting any younger and I want to keep this ball club in the family so I am appointing you as a co-owner of the team. I will still be here to help you manage, but I will be taking a back seat,” he says while looking me in the eyes.
“I don’t…I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to run a ball club and I’m only twenty-four. I’m not ready for this. I can’t. Does Mom know? Oh my God. What about my uncles?” I clasp my hand over my mouth and run out the door across the hall to the bathroom and lose my breakfast. I can’t believe that he would just drop that on me.
“Kelsey? Kelsey? Are you in here?”
“Johnathan?” I pull the stall door open toward me. “You can’t be in here. Just go. I’m okay, really.” I get up off the floor and walk toward the sinks where I fill up my hand with water to clean my mouth.
“Are you sure?” He looks at me like he’s scared for me and shocked at what my grandfather just said.
“Yeah, I’m just going to go back upstairs, grab my things and head home.”
“Are you going to come to the game tonight? It’s the last one before we head back out on the road for a week.”
“I don’t know. If I do come I’m just going to stay in the suite I don’t think that I can handle the reporters right now. Unfortunately, I will have to speak with my mother on how to proceed with this news. I really have to go.” I push past him and walk out the door. I can hear the team talking to my grandfather.
“She’s too young.”
”I’ll leave the team.”
“I’d rather be traded than play for a young girl like that.”
I run to the elevator and keep hitting the UP button like that will make it come to me faster. Once it does arrive, I run inside and hit the office floor button and CLOSE DOOR. I make it up to the office in one piece. Grabbing my phone from my purse I text Lauren and ask her to meet me at home and I look up to the doorway and I see my mother standing there.
“Are you happy now? You’ve gotten everything that you’ve ever wanted; the man of your dreams and now the family team. Don’t think that I will help you either. You’re on your own.”
“Fine, I don’t need your help anyway. Goodbye, Mom.” I walk out shoving her with my shoulder and head out of the stadium toward home. I hope that Lauren will be there.
*****
Lauren is standing in the kitchen waiting for me with a shot of tequila. I know it’s the middle of the day, but I think I need it after the bomb that was just dropped on me by my grandfather. I turned my phone off as soon as I had text Lauren. I know that multiple people will be trying to get in contact with me, but I need a while to get my crap together before I speak to anyone.
“So, girly, I’m here, what happened?”
“I am now the fabulous new co-owner of a baseball club.” I shove the shot glass back in her face. She pours me another and I take it back. “My grandfather just ambushes me with this crap and I’m standing there in the locker room with the entire team and they are just as surprised as me. I mean, damn, a little warning would have been nice. But oh no, not Butch, he has to do things big. He said that the club was going to put out a press release, which means that my mother knew and didn’t even tell me. I know that she’s pissed at me for dating Johnathan, but come on, I’m her daughter.”
I stop my rambling and try to get myself together. I go and sit on the couch. I’m exhausted. I can’t do this. I can’t own a baseball team, I just can’t I don’t know what to do with that. I’m so mad at my grandfather right now.
“Well there are two things we can do. One, we can stay home and get trashed, or two we can go to the game tonight as planned an act as though nothing has changed. I mean how bad could it be?”
*****
Oh, it was bad. The news of my relationship with Johnathan was nothing compared to what I am dealing with tonight after being announced the newest owner of the Washington Warriors.
“Okay, I was wrong, this was a bad idea,” Lauren says to me as we push our way through the crowd to get to the suite.
“Ya, think? I can’t believe I came here. I want to go home.” We tried to get to the ballpark early, but that didn’t happen. The press was in full force at the main and back gates. Light bulbs and questions were being fired my way so I just latched onto Lauren and we shoved our way through before we were grabbed up by some huge security guy that I have never seen before. Once we got to the elevators, he introduced himself as Luke and that’s when I got a good look at him. He was built like a linebacker for the football team, all muscle not an ounce of fat on this man. To be honest be was plain scary. He told us that Butch told him to look for us tonight and to bring us directly to the suite once he found us.
We arrive at the suite and the whole family is inside. I walk over to my grandmother, give her a hug, and kiss on the cheek. I go and hug my grandfather. “We can talk later,” he whispers to me. I just nod.
My Uncle Brandon look upset, but I still go and say hi to him and Brent. . I know that they want to talk to me. “We are having a family meeting tomorrow to discuss Dad’s decision regarding the ball club. We didn’t know he was going to do this so soon.”
“Yes, okay. I’ll be there. Do you know if it would be a good idea for me to go and sit in the stands or should I just stay here?”
“Well, Dad said that he was going to go down, so I think as long as you stick with him and Luke things will be okay,” Brandon tells me.
I go and grab a bottle of water from the bar, Lauren and I head on down to our seats behind home plate with Luke following us. The fans that normally sit around us are quiet as we walk down making me feel uncomfortable. Stanley is there with a big smile and a hug for us and that makes me relax a little bit. He leaves to grab us our refreshments as we sit down. After the first pitch and National Anthem my grandfather arrives. He is shaking hands with those around us and then comes and sits beside me.
“I’m sorry, Kelsey, about today. I didn’t know how else to tell you about my decision. I will still be around helping you until you get your bearings. I will always be here for advice, but I know that you can do it. I believe in you and soon so will everyone else.”
“I understand, but now that you have done this. I have to break up with Johnathan. I can’t have his teammates thinking that he gets special treatment because of me. It’s
not fair to him and I know that he loves this ball club and won’t want to be traded and I won’t trade him because he is an asset to the team.” As I say this, Johnathan comes up to bat. I sit back and watch. The first pitch is a strike and the fans aren’t happy with the call. Next pitch is high, almost to his shoulders. Ball one. As the pitcher and batter get their nerves in check I start to hear the fans talking about me.
I can’t sit here any longer I immediately get up after hearing some bad things that they are saying not only about me but about the organization. I head home alone. Lauren stays at the game with my grandfather. As I’m walking home I feel someone watching me, but when I turn around to look there’s no one on the sidewalk with me. I speed walk and once I reach the inside of my home I finally start to breathe. Walking into the kitchen I find the bottle of tequila and a shot glass. I pour myself a shot, and then another, and then two more. Taking them back one by one. I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow. I guess I will follow my grandfather around and start learning the inner workings of everything.
I pull out my cell and see a text from Lauren saying that she’s on her way home early from the game. I decide to just sit on the couch and wait for her to come home. The door opens and it’s not Lauren entering but Johnathan. I’m really confused because he still has a whole game to play. Silently he walks toward me and sits down next to me. He smells all male and sweaty so I know that he didn’t take a shower before he left. I’m still confused as to why he’s even here.
“What are you doing here?” I ask still staring at the blank screen on the T.V.
“I saw that you left. So I did too.”
“You’re going to get suspended for that. If you don’t the guys will think that you’re already getting special treatment.”