The Silent Game
Ginny woke in the arms of Mike holding her close. She didn't want to move just yet. She glided her fingers along his forearm and pressed her lips to his hand. He was awake. His head nuzzled into her hair. She inhaled. Her heart aching from the swell of love she felt for this man. How was she going to manage this? She couldn't allow herself to start thinking. She knew the outcome wasn't going to be anything she liked.
She turned to face him. "Good morning," he said to her with a smile. She leaned in for his kiss. Without a word they rolled into each other and made slow deep love. The kind of love making that you aren't in a hurry to finish. Her body trembled as he devoted his time to slowly glide and dip into her core. She grazed her fingertips along his back tracing the curves of his tense muscles that labored to give her such pleasures. When they both lost all strength, they laid on their backs working to regulate their breathing to a slow and steady rhythm with their hands interlocked.
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
"Starved."
Next Day; Game 19
Ginny ran the field extra hard that day. She had a lot on her mind. The best thing she could do to keep her mind off it all was to focus on the game.
Mike worried. All this drama could end their winning streak. Collins was quiet. He nor Ginny spoke a word to anyone. They were in a zone. Faces serious. Throwing and catching like robots. But the rate of her pitches were sharp and fast.
It was game time. Jordan threw down his sign. A Change Up. Ginny nodded and took her stance. Her eyes hyper focused on Jordan's mitt. She prepped and launched. In minutes she struck out the first batter, then the next. Collins called the pitches and Ginny didn't shake off one. She pitched every call he made without contest.
They were now in the 4th inning and the Cubs had yet to hit the ball. Ginny was a machine, and nothing was penetrating her concentration. Blip could feel the intensity of the game and began making observations in the behaviors of Ginny and Jordan. The two sat in silence between innings and they intensity could be felt by other members of the team.
"What do you think?" Walker said to Mike, "Lovers quarrel?"
Mike shot a look at Ginny and Collins both looking like they had a big high school love quarrel. The bruise on Collins face more evident than ever.
"Humph." Mike grunted to Walker as he caught a glimpse of Blips face. It was clear that Blip was starting to put some ideas together himself.
After the 5th inning, Mike called Ginny off the mound for her reliever. She had pitched the Padres first No Hitter in history.
After the game ended with the Padres winning, Everyone was in the mood to celebrate their 19th game winning streak.
Before Ginny entered her locker room, she spotted Amelia "she splaining," something to Mike. His eyes lifted to Ginny's right before she entered her private locker. She closed the door and pressed her forehead against the frame.
"Ah-hem." Evelyn announced herself.
Ginny jumped and gasped at her short, stylish, very pregnant friend who sat on her couch as if she'd been waiting expectantly. "What are you doing here?'
"What am I doing here? What do you mean what am I doing here? I've been waiting to be here for days! You disappeared after finding out Mike Lawson is SINGLE and might I add he went MIA too. Then I come up here and Collins is all beat up and now everyone is all serious and tight lipped! Where's my Tea?!"
"What are you talking about Evelyn?"
"Uh-Uh. Don't play dumb with me. I was a good enough friend to wait until after the game. Now spill it. I guarantee you Blip is out there getting it from Mike as we speak."
Ginny's eyes gave pause. She quicky ran out of her locker and toward Mike's office. Evelyn quickly wabbled behind. Rounding the corner to Mikes office whose door was closed, Ginny pressed her ear against the door to see if she could hear who was talking inside. Directly below her, Evelyn pressed her ear against the door as well. Through the door it was evident that the voices were of Blip and Mike.
"Shit!" Ginny whispered.
Evelyn laughed and clapped in excitement. "See, you better just tell me because you know I'm going to get it out of Blip." Evelyn smiled ear to ear satisfied with herself. The door opened and Evelyn stumbled into Blips arms.
"Ladies? Eavesdropping?" Blip smiled at both women.
"No. Eavesdropping? Uh-uh. We were just making sure we are getting together tonight for dinner. It's the boy's birthday you know."
Mike came into view with a warm gentle half smile at Ginny. "Yeah. I'll be there. How about you Ginny?"
"Uh, Yeah. Of course. I wouldn't miss it."
"Great!" Blip took Evelyn by the waist and walked her down the hall. Evelyn's head was turned back and she smiled slyly until they turned the corner.
"Can you come in for a sec.?" Mike softly requested.
Ginny shifted uncomfortably. "Um here?"
"Well, this is the appropriate place for a Manager to speak to his player." He mused.
"Right." Ginny bit her lip and started to the office. Mike closed the door and leaned against it.
"That was a good game out there Baker. You were….an unstoppable force."
"Thanks," Ginny said as she leaned on his desk. They just stood across from each other. Not saying a word, eyes bore into one another. Their breath slow and steady. After what felt like minutes passing by, a knock came at the door. Mike opened it lifting his gaze from hers only at the last possible second.
"Hey," Oscar exclaimed. The press is ready for your statement. "Ginny, you gonna talk today?"
"Yeah. I was just telling her I want her up today." Mike pointed out.
"That's perfect! Ginny, you were a Rockstar tonight. They're gonna love it."
Jordan, Mike and Ginny knocked out the Q&A's like professionals. They were on every channel that night.
Later that evening, Ginny arrived to the Saunders Residence just before Mike. She wrapped her arms around the preteen boys who were now gaining on her height. They were filling her in on their own All Star gaming successes.
Mike walked in greeted by Blip.
"Hey Coach! Thanks for the wine!"
"Blip. It's still weird when you call me Coach."
They laughed. Mike took a deep breath as he took in the sight of Ginny roasting a marshmellow over their gas island fire pit with the boys. Her laugh so big and eyes gleaming from her grin."
"You all right man?" Blip asked as he followed Mike's gaze.
"Yeah." Mike shook his head as if to etch y sketch his thoughts.
"Look. I know things are a little complicated with…"
"We're sleeping together," Mike blurted.
"Daaaaammmmnnn! The fuck! Mike! How you gonna blurt shit out like that man! You gonna give me a heart attack. Wait, no. Not here. Come into my office." Blip shoved Mike into his Man Cave giving Evelyn the 'Give us a minute,' look. "Mike!"
"I didn't want to beat around the bush with you. You were going to figure it out anyway. You always do."
"Well. Yeah. You're right about that. But… no you got me this time. I just thought y'all was going to do the feelings dance for a while. Y'all slept together?"
"Sleeping together. As in ongoing. And … we are in love." Mike stared at Blip with one eyebrow up waiting for his response.
Blips mouth kept opening and closing to speak, but nothing was coming out. He was speechless.
"I know. It's a mess. It's…. great. She's amazing Blip. I can't get enough of her. I want to marry her Blip. She's it for me. At this point I don't care about my career. I don't give two shits…"
"Whoa! Hold on there. I know you… are feeling a lot of feelings right now. But you can't throw your career away. You just got here. This is your dream Mike. We are about to win the world series! I know you know this. You can't throw this away for some girl. Even if that girl is Ginny Baker. You are not a Ball Player's Wife. That is not the life you will be happy with. You need to be on our field. If you're not, everything you dream of with Ginny is going to fall apart. I don't know how you do this, (he pointed to Mike's heart) and manage her at the same time. This is all new territory. But I can tell you, Ginny joining the Padres was also new territory. And we made it through that didn't we?
"I didn't. I fell in love remember. I was in love within two months."
They sat a few minutes in silence.
"Look," Mike began. "I don't know what the answers are for this. So… I'm just going to ask you to keep this to yourself. I know you will. Should she choose to talk to you and Evelyn, that's fine. You are the only person I get to talk to about this. Thanks for being here for me like always. And if you are worried about what I might do to her… don't. I want to marry her. I want to be with her no matter the cost. Got it?"
"I got it."
"Good. Now let's go have a birthday."
