Dugouts; Oh Balls!
I sashayed my butt back and forth along the bench. It made an eerie creak as I went from left to right. I wondered if my apartment door made that sound when that mad someone broke in. Probably, poor door, it was neglected. I kept forgetting to use the WD-40 on its hinges.
I looked around the slowly filling park. People poured in from everywhere. It was a mad house. People were screaming, whooping, and many laughing also. The scary part for me was the fact that the person who caused me all this trouble, could be in this very stadium, waiting to attack me and I was ill prepared.
All the brew crew except Corey Hart took a seat, Corey was up to bat. I was captivated until Ryan shouted my name and pulled me out of my rather magical trance. I looked towards the right end of the dugout.
"Yeah," I said. That boy had a way of grabbing my attention. He gestured for me to go over there. I slowly, but politely made my way over there. I accidently bumped into a few people on my way there, but I made it eventually. "Hey!" I said, stopping next to Ryan. "What did you need?" I asked.
"Ron talked with you, right?" he asked me, looking down.
I nodded a half nod. Obviously, I didn't pick up much, due to the racing thoughts of Ryan and Jonathan. "Sort of, I was too busy day dreaming."
Ryan shook his head and laughed.
"What!" I laughed as Corey struck out.
"I have to go on deck. I'll explain later." he said running out of the dugout. I sat and watched Nyjer get a base hit and Ryan hit a home run, putting us a head by two runs. Ryan ran back into the dugout. Strange enough he was already sweating. He walked to me. But not before he gave everyone on the team high five. Ryan's face was glowing and all I could was smile. His smile was rather infectious, his laugh contagious and his personality intoxicating.
"So what were you going to say?" I said, playfully.
Ryan picked me up and whirled me around and said, "You're just a big ball of trouble young lady!" he set me down.
I sat there for a moment. One of the guys of my dreams (yes, I know it's sad I have more than one) just held me. Hell, even though he was sweating, a lot, his smell was very good. It was what I would hold onto forever. He smelled like sweat and Old Spice, an unforgettable combonation.
I looked down to the front of the dugout and saw John just sit and look at me. I stared into his eyes, just as Ryan wrapped his muscular arms around my waist. I laughed, heartily still looking at John. His smile was gone and looked away with anguish. I looked at the score board and bear hugged Ryan.
The team was winning. "Ryan, not going to lie here, but, that was awesome!" I shouted. He pulled me close and I looked out to John who was suiting up to catch. Ryan whispered in my ear, "There's a party after this game win or lose, and I need a date," he said.
"Okay?" I said, unsure of what to say. Sure Ryan, I'd love to be your date, and marry you, and have your babies too. But a date will for now.
"Will you be my date?" he asked, pulling back.
I looked him square in the face. Mentioning of marriage and babies could be kind of weird."Of course," I said, hugging him. "But," I began, and stopped. Did I want to add, "only as friends" and put out a potential spark, or just keep my lips shut.
"What?" Ryan asked, looking for more.
"We're going as friends, nothing more, right?" I asked, uneasily. And the feeling of regret washed over me. Sometimes, I should stop while I'm ahead.
"Oh," Ryan looked away. "Of course," he said, half way energetic.
The brewers were up by 4 now, but the Yankees struck out Hairston. Ryan grabbed his glove and ran out to leftfield. He ran out of the dugout. I sat back on the bench, when Zack approached me.
"Do you like Ryan or something?" he asked, like a teenager would. Well, more like a valley girl, and that bugs the crap out of me.
"Why?" I replied, squinting an eye.
"He seems pretty damn sure that he likes you," Zack said, looking out into the field, just as Yovanni wound up and threw a strike.
I stood up with excitement, "Really?" I said, my real emotion showing.
Zack gave me a confused look .
"I mean," I faked a weak cough. "What do you mean?"
"Uhm," he said. "The way, the way he acts around you." It almost sounded like a question.
Of course Ryan acts like a goober around me. I have noticed too Zack! I wanted to scream, but I controlled myself. "You think so?" I asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" he asked me back.
"Hey. Grienke, don't answer my question with a question," I said, as I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled it out of my back pocket. Spencer was calling. "Hold your horses," I said as I walked back into the tunnel leading to the locker room.
"Hey Spence!" I answered the call.
"Hey," he said. Spencer sounded way too tired.
"How are you, dear?" I asked, worried for him.
"In a Chicago hospital," he said, his voice weakening.
"Whoa, Spence, What happened?" I asked, plugging one ear due to the deafening screams.
"Shot in the leg," he coughed and he quit talking.
"Spence!" I screamed. "Spencer!" I shouted.
Someone picked up the phone, "Blaire, ma'am, Spencer has gone into cardiac arrest," she said and hung up. I pressed the red button on my phone and started crying. I fell back to the wall and slid down it.
Out on the field, the Brewers were having a hay day. Ryan had caught one popup and Yovanni struck out another guy. Ryan was waiting for another fly ball to catch and finally play offense. He sat and waited patiently, looking at that batter, never removing his eyes until the ball was off the bat in the air headed for him. Ryan ran forward and caught the ball, ending the defense. The nine guys ran into the dugout. He immediately went and slurped down a cup of Gatorade. He looked around for a bit and called for John.
"Lucroy, what happened to Blaire?" he asked John, setting the cup down.
Jonathan shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't out here when I got in, but, good fielding, bro." He said, high-fiving him. "Oh and by the way," John continued, "Excited to go clubbing tonight with the crew?" he asked.
"Oh! Yeah! Blaire's taking along, I hope you don't mind!" he said excitedly.
John stared at him for a couple seconds. "No. Of course not."
Ryan began to walk away, when he turned around and faced John again. "You are the best friend on the planet John, you know that right?"
John gave him a nod and walked towards the other end of the tunnel and sat down for a bit.
Ryan looked around then turned down the tunnel. "Blaire," he said, quietly, running to me. He squatted next to me. "Blaire, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling my hands away from my face.
"He's hurt, he's hurt bad!" I shouted.
Ryan looked at me innocently. He hushed me and pulled me close. "Who was?"
"Ryan, it's Spence, it's Spence," I cried into his jersey.
He grabbed my head and pulled me close. "He'll be okay, I promise," he said into my hair.
I wanted to wail, curl up in a ball and sleep forever. But I couldn't. I coughed and held back more tears. Ryan reached his dirty hand up and wiped warm and salty tears from my cheeks.
"He went into cardiac arrest," I said quietly.
Ryan pulled me in, even tighter. "Don't worry, Spence is a fighter. He will pull through. And the party tonight will help you relax a bit. Promise." He said.
I looked up at him. "You promise?" I asked my voice cracking.
"I do," he said, hope in his voice. He helped me stand up. I gave him a hug.
