Mayday Malone Day
Chapter 1
June 2, 1995
Mr. Samuel Malone
Boston, Massachusetts
Dear Sam,
In keeping with the Red Sox tradition of honoring former players who have helped our organization excel we have nominated you to receive this year's prestigious Excellence award in Baseball. Not only did you bring the Red Sox to an Eastern Division championship in 1975 but you were instrumental in our ability to capture the pennant that same year. We also want to acknowledge your contributions to the Boston area through your business, civic and charitable involvements. We have developed a 'Mayday Malone Day' to be held on August 13, 1995 at the Baltimore Orioles game and respectfully request that you invite your family and friends to be present. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
JRY Trust (Owner)
A hand-written note at the bottom of the letter was from the General Manager of the current team;
Sam, This is long overdue and we couldn't be happier for you.
Dan
Sam smiled as he picked up the phone, "Honey, why don't we get a babysitter tonight and go out to dinner? We haven't been out alone together in a while."
"Oh, I'd love that Sam. We've barely seen each other this week and I miss our little 'chats'. Let's leave after the kids are in bed though, I feel like we've been away from them all week too."
"Of course we can. You pick the restaurant, I'll pick up the tab," Sam laughed, "By the way, I'm bringing a letter along that I want to show you."
"Good or bad letter?"
"Good letter. All good and I want to show you first."
"I love you Sam. Still so mysterious."
"Love you too sweetheart."
Sixteen month old twins, Maura and Joey were finishing lunch as Diane hung up the phone. Beautiful little blond haired Maura was busy feeding her lunch to the dog while Joey was contentedly mashing his food into his hair. Both smiled proudly at Diane knowing she would smile at their childish antics, and she did. As Diane cleaned them up with a warm wash cloth, she cooed to them in her softest voice smiling as she said it;
"You two should be driving me crazy. I'm forty-three years old, educated, and a career woman. I've traveled the world and written a successful screen play. I am able to instruct a classroom full of one hundred eighteen year olds, work on a doctoral degree, and research a dissertation. And yet, when I watch you two none of the rest of it matters as much."
Diane looked at them both and in an even softer maternal voice she smiled and said, "What do you think of that Maura and Joey? Do you think I deserve a night out with your father?"
Both babies smiled and laughed as she picked them up. "Well, okay, I'll go then, if you insist," she said as she kissed them each.
Diane and Sam got the twins bathed and into bed before the babysitter arrived. Diane wanted to try a new restaurant in downtown Boston that was small and intimate and got rave reviews. Of course, she knew that half the wait staff would know Sam either from the bar or from the fact that he had dated one of them. The other half would merely ogle his good looks, even the male waiters. Diane smiled at the thought, not jealous but used to the reaction. They settled into the bar to await their table.
As Diane ordered a glass of wine, Sam glanced at the door to the bar and looked surprised. Janet Eldridge, a woman he had dated during one of their 'off' times had entered. Janet spotted Sam and immediately walked over to say hello.
"Sam, it's so good to see you again."
"Janet, it's wonderful to see you too. You remember Diane, don't you?" said Sam as he turned toward Diane.
"Of course I remember Diane. I had heard that you two were married. All I can say is; 'What took you so long and I'm so happy for you both'. You know, Diane, I knew that Sam was in love with you almost from the start of our relationship. He tried to pretend he wasn't but he didn't fool me or anyone else. I've come to admire your tenacity that day in disrupting the press conference the way you did. Now that I look back, I shake my head and laugh. The yellow squirt gun and all. It could almost be a television sitcom, couldn't it?"
Diane laughed as she said, "I'm still embarrassed about that day but thank you Janet. I'll have to admit that at the time Sam even had me fooled. I guess I was the only one who thought he was in love with you. Can you sit and join us for a drink?"
"I, we, would love to for a short while," said Janet, "My husband is parking the car. We don't get out much anymore between working and small children. Thank God for nannies."
"I know what you mean Janet, Sam and I have one year old twins. All we really want right now is a good night's sleep."
They were laughing as Janet's husband came into the bar and walked over to the table. He was a strikingly good looking man of about Sam's age. As he got to the table he looked at Diane with instant recognition and shouted,
"Oh my God, Diane is that you?"
Diane jumped up and warmly hugged Janet's husband, "Michael, I can't believe this. After all these many years. I love this. How are you?"
Janet and Sam looked at them with shocked expressions.
"Janet, do you get the impression that these two have met before?"
"Amazingly Sam, I did guess that."
Michael started the conversation, "I met Diane in Italy back in 1985. She had just left someone at the altar and was looking for a ride out of the city, anywhere really, just out of the city. I was doing a summer in Europe and ran into her at a market. I told her I was driving to Spain. She hopped into my car and said 'good, then that's where I'm going'. We became great friends on that journey to Spain and remained friends during her stay in Europe. I never really thought about a romantic relationship with her because throughout our drive to Spain all she talked about was a man she loved who lived back in the states. Hopefully you're that man," MichaeI said as he turned toward Sam.
"Hopefully I am,"smiled Sam.
Diane nodded.
"I will say though Sam, Diane is one of the most impetuous and spontaneous people I've ever encountered. She was game for anything anyone wanted to do. We sure had fun."
Diane gently took Michael's hand and squeezing it said to Janet and Sam, "What Michael is not telling you because he is kind and diplomatic is that he protected me like a brother. He pulled me out of a lot of serious and difficult situations back then. I shudder when I think back to that time in my life. I was so naïve," said Diane, "dangerously naïve and if not for Michael I could easily have been hurt or worse."
"Mr. Malone, your table is ready," said the waiter.
"Diane, could I have your telephone number. I'd like us to keep in touch. I have a feeling tonight may be the start of a grand friendship. We seem to have so much in common. Young children, careers, nice husbands."
"I'd love that Janet. In fact, why don't you and Michael bring the children over next Saturday night for dinner. I'd love to meet them and I'd love to see you both again soon."
"Oh Sam it was such a treat to meet with an old friend. I'm so glad we did."
"And Diane, from the sound of it, I'm glad Michael was around you in Europe too. You'll have to tell me more someday- if you want to."
"Someday I will. But now, what letter were you talking about this morning? I've been dying to know all day."
Sam pulled the Red Sox letter out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Diane. She read it and said, "Sam this is absolutely wonderful. Finally you're getting public recognition for your involvement in baseball and for all of the charitable things you do in Boston." She took his hand, "I'm so thrilled for you and so happy that I get to share it with you. We're very lucky you and I. I feel like spontaneously kissing you right here in this restaurant."
"Feel free," laughed Sam.
Diane leaned over and gave him a sweet peck on the cheek.
Feeling the palpable electricity between them Sam said, "Save the spontaneity for the later."
After sending the babysitter home and shutting off the lights, Sam and Diane walked arm in arm up the stairs. "Let me check on the kids first, I'll be right in."
Diane stood over Joey's crib and touched her beautiful child's head. Thank you God for all you've granted me she thought and covered him as gently as she could. Checking on Maura her beautiful tiny girl evoked the same thought. She kissed two fingers and placed the fingers on Maura's forehead. She smiled as she left the room.
Sam was already in bed reading a magazine when Diane reached the bedroom. "So you want spontaneous huh?" she said as she playfully jumped on the bed laughing and throwing herself on top of him. "Let's talk first," she said while she squirmed into his strong embrace. Sam laughed and hugged her tightly, starting to unzip her dress.
"Sam, I need to start planning the party."
"What party?"
"The party we're having for Mayday Malone Day. We could have it here after the game, something simple. We will have to start with a guest list of people to invite to the game as soon as you find out how many we can invite. I think I'll have Mayday Malone t-shirts made for all of us to wear, even the children."
"Diane, nothing is ever simple when you're in charge. I'll call the General Manager of the team tomorrow to get the particulars, in the meantime, let's forget about the party that may or may not happen two months from now. Let's concentrate on the here and now."
Diane eased away long enough to undress then jumped back on the bed wrapping her arms around Sam. "Why bother putting a nightgown on when it will be off in seconds anyhow."
"Now that's what I call spontaneous," Sam laughed as he rolled her over onto her back and kissed her passionately unlocking that part of Diane that was always so invitingly uninhibited behind the bedroom door. No one would ever guess that this gentle and genteel, prim and proper woman was a lioness in the bedroom thought Sam as he tenderly made love to her.