Disclaimer: I do not own Flight 29 Down, or it's characters.
"It's freezing!" I hugged my arms close to my body, letting my teeth chatter so that they made little clicking sounds. I zipped my favorite black jacket up and reached for the blanket I had brought to my little sister's softball game.
"I know! Man, it's summer for crying out loud! I don't know why they have to start these ball games so late," Lisa said with the slightest bit of annoyance in her voice. We looked at each other and giggled. Both my dad, and her husband were the coaches of the team, and it was fun to pick on them. I watched her laugh, admiring the way her mouth curved upwards, and the way her giggles flowed on the breeze that chilled everyone at the ball field.
I spread the blanket out over my legs, and then I tossed half of it onto Lisa. It barely covered us both, so I scooted my chair closer. The arms overlapped, and I was just inches away from her.
"Aw, thanks Melissa. Bless your little heart." She settled herself into her chair, and her arm came to rest right beside mine. The feeling of her arm on mine made my stomach leap excitedly.
I love Lisa; she is so much like a second mother to me. I have known her for years, ever since my dad started coaching with her husband, and I just admire everything about her. Lisa is loving, and sweet; she hugged me when I arrived at the ball field, and also when we left. She's funny, and whenever she laughed, I was reminded that good people still thrived in the world. She makes me feel so happy, loved, and she gives me the simple attention that I always crave. The world is in perfect harmony when Lisa is around.
Lisa's oldest daughter, Amy, had just arrived, and had brought a few blankets as well. She gave one to Lisa, and Lisa started to take my blanket off of herself to give back to me. My stomach became panicky, and I did not want to scoot away from her. Just being so close made me feel loved, more than I do with my own mother. So I made the suggestion,
"Hey, why don't we just cover up with both instead? It'll be even warmer!"
Her face lit up. "Hey, good idea there." She spread the blanket over us, and sort of tucked me in under it like a mother tucking in her child for bed. "There we go." She smiled at me, and I did the same. She is the best person I know.
We sat in silence, both watching the game. My little sister made an excellent play, and Lisa's daughter struck three people out in a row. The team ran into their dugout, and prepared to bat.
Lisa brought her hands out fro m underneath our blankets, and pulled out a cigarette. From the corner of my eye, I watched as she lit the end and blew out a puff of smoke that was carried away in the breeze. She held the cigarette away from me, but the wind blew the smoke in my direction. For a second, I watched the gray smoke twist and dance into the air, and then it disappeared. She breathed out her smoke delicately, like an old movie star from the fifties might do. Usually, I don't really approve of smoking, but Lisa was different.
Somehow, I could even admire her when she was smoking. The end of her cigarette burned red and pierced the night, followed by more smoke blown in front of me. I slowly breathed through my nose, taking in what she had just let go. I let the smoke fill my lungs, inhaling as much as I could. I loved it. I loved how it filled me, somehow completing me, filling up a hole inside myself, one I didn't even know was there until it was gone.
She took one last long drag, and a prepared myself to take her last bit of smoke. She exhaled; I inhaled. Wonderful.
To my dismay, the game came to an end, the other team victorious by one point. We peeled the blankets off, and I folded them as Lisa packed up her chair. We made light conversation until my dad touched me on the shoulder and said it was time to go. I didn't want to leave Lisa, but I reminded myself I would see her in a few days at the next game.
"I guess I'm out of here. See you Thursday?"
"Yeah, I'll be here. Bye, sweetie." She held her arms out to me, and I moved into them, wrapping my own arms around her. We embraced for several seconds, and I waved as I walked to our car.
"What are you smiling so big for?" my little sister asked when we had pulled out of the parking lot.
"Nothing, just thinking," I answered.
I had spent all evening with Lisa and left with her hug. I would take one of those before any treasure in the world. Why was I smiling so big? Because I was in the one place where I truly felt loved. Utopia.