A/N: Yes, this one is partly baseball. I'm sorry. But it's Zach and Jack, and the guys, aka the team players, plus baseball.
Chapter 3
Like always, the coaching staff was the first in the door for the breakfast buffet just after it opened at nine the next morning. What they didn't expect was Zach, Jack and Andy coming in the door. Along with Dansby and Austin.
Greg Maddux, walking to the coaches' table with his breakfast, took one look at Jack and shook his head. Jack gave Greg the same bullshit smile his brother had perfected. "Rumor has it Doggie you're called grandpa now," Jack zinged. The coaches at the table roared with laughter.
Greg looked at Zach "I hate you."
"What the hell did I do?" Zach asked, as Andy laughed.
"Created a mini-me," Maddux growled.
Zach shook his head. "That's on mom and dad. Have fun with that long distance convo with mom," he smiled.
Snitker shook his head and looked at Zach. "You can make that joke?"
Zach grinned. "Now? Yeah I can. Mom would love it."
Jack grinned more. "Mom would blow off Doggie's call anyway." The coaching staff laughed more along with Andy.
The coaches shook their heads as more of the team came in. "Guys," Snit said, "what are you doing up so early?"
Dansby smiled. "Skip, there's a movie theater four blocks away that is playing Top Gun: Maverick. The first showing is at ten-thirty. We can make the movie and be back here for the bus to leave for the field. With time to spare. And I checked out the place online. It's not a downtown hellhole. It's completely refurbished, with Dolby sound and reclining seats."
"I'm coming along," Greg smiled.
"Guys," Snit said. "The next time you see something like this, let me know. This is a team builder we can use."
Zach smiled, accepting his plate with his omelet order. "Skip, from the texts we've all got, this is pretty much going to be that. We're going to take our chances that a downtown movie theater isn't going to be sold out on a Monday morning."
The entire team, along with coaching and traveling staff filled the theater. And since everyone just had breakfast, the minimal daytime crew at the theater didn't get overwhelmed beyond small sodas and popcorn for the diehard movie fans. Jack included. With a healthy tip from the players.
-00CM00-
While the team was at the movies, Ramón was getting the Hotchner crew to Reagan. He looked in the back of the SUV. "I hope we don't get the same security guard bleep me and the boys ran into last night."
Dave looked at him. "That bad?"
"Dave, I had the security paperwork for the guys, from the Braves, for him. It still took over ten minutes with the asshat checking my ID and the guys'."
"They are out there Ramón," Dave said. "Unfortunately. But you can flip the script. In their glorified world, they are doing their part for aviation security."
"While being a glorified gate guard?"
Dave shook his head looking at Aaron. "Welcome to our world Ramón." They quickly got through security and Ramón pulled up near the jet. They all got out with Beth helping Caleigh with the kids while Aaron took care of Molly and Dave had Lexie.
A new person greeted them. "Hello all of you," the blonde smiled. "I'm Kelsey, your copilot. Tanner is your pilot. Let's get you all on board," she smiled. Caleigh got the twins on first, with Beth following her, holding Logan. Aaron and Dave boarded with the dogs. They all quickly settled in.
They were in the air twenty minutes later.
-00CM00-
After the movie was finished, Snit was waiting in the lobby for the Hotchner brothers. "So, give me your review," he smiled.
Jack shook his head. "I know how much Zach loved the first one."
Zach grinned. "Say it Jack. I agree."
Snit winked at Jack. "Me too. It's better than the first one. Now stop growing on us. We miss our little guy."
"Jeez Skip," Jack said, shaking his head. "You too?" Snit laughed, putting his arm around Jack, walking out the door with him.
"When he starts shaving in the morning with Andy and me, he's done traveling with us," Zach snarked.
Jack looked at his brother. "You started shaving when you were a senior in high school. That's next year for me."
Zach grinned. "I pushed it to piss off dad," he winked at Jack. Snit laughed more.
By two-thirty, the team was on their busses to make the short trip to Wrigley Field. While it was only five miles, the drive was usually twenty-five minutes with traffic. They busses stopped on Clark Avenue, letting the team off. Jack got off and smiled, looking at Zach.
Zach grinned. "Yeah, coming here doesn't get old."
Jack looked at him as they walked into the stadium together. "Do some of them?"
"Do what?"
"Get old."
"You mean like Dodger Stadium?" Zach said. Jack smiled.
"Mine is Citizens in Philly," Andy said as they walked into the visitor's clubhouse.
"I'll second that," Dansby added.
After the team enjoyed a light meal while the Cubs look batting practice, the players moved into the locker room to change. Like always, Jack shared Zach's locker space. As they were changing into their pre-game uniforms, Zach looked at Jack. He smiled. "You get to see one of the best later this summer."
"Zach?"
"We've got a two game series in Boston after a five-game series with the Mets," Zach smiled.
"Citi Field isn't my favorite," Jack said.
Zach shook his head. "Jack. Fenway. The Green Monster. Two games. Just before school starts." Jack looked at him with his eyes getting bigger. Zach grinned. "Yeah, I'm talking with dad and Beth to make that one happen for you."
"Thanks Zach," Jack grinned.
When batting practice started, Jack was in the outfield, working his butt off shagging balls. Marcel Ozuna smiled at Zach as he came out of the batting cage. Ronnie stepped in to get in his at bats. "Jack has some pep in his step," Marcel smiled.
Zach smiled back. "Yeah. I promised him the two-game series at Fenway."
Marcel grinned. "That'll do it."
When batting practice finished, Jack took the time to help the batboys the Cubs provided to pick up all the balls around the field. He got into the locker room last, stripped down and headed to take a quick shower before putting on his game uniform. Dansby, Travis and Austin looked at Zach. "I promised him Fenway." The guys all smiled. Marcel said the same to the Latino players.
Matt Olson looked at Zach. "I know you have to warm-up Mort. Mind if I play catch with Jack?" He smiled. "I'd like to get to know him better."
Zach grinned. "Thanks Ole. He'll love being on the field playing catch."
In Lawrenceville, Caleigh had the Bally Sports network pre-game show on the TV in the living room while everyone was in the Georgia home. With the time zone difference, all the kids were bathed and in their pj's. Trevor Styles and Nick Green, the Bally pre-game hosts, were getting ready to send their broadcast into commercial before Chip and Frenchy took over for the play-by-play action. "Here's a live look as the Braves get ready to take on the Cubs," Styles said. He grinned. "There's an extra Hotchner around this series," he winked. "Braves and Cubs coming up next on Bally Sports South." The camera crew showed Jack and Matt Olson in front of the Braves dugout, playing catch together.
After the National Anthem, with Jack standing next to Matt, the players and coaches went into the dugout. Kevin Sitzer, the Braves bench coach stopped Jack. "You need a helmet Dopey," he grinned.
"Really?" Jack questioned.
Snit turned and looked at Jack. "Yes, you do. MLB doesn't like you being on the bench. Alex clears it with them."
"Why?" Jack asked.
"Jack," Snit said, "if you get hurt, it's on MLB's dime. You're not a player. Alex has to assure them that the Braves will cover any costs."
Sitz looked at Jack. "Why the helmet," he said, giving it to Jack.
"Fine," Jack growled, putting it on.
Sitz looked at Jack. "Does it fit?"
Jack nodded. "I'm good." He walked down the dugout.
Doggie smiled at him. "Nice helmet Dopey."
"Shuddup Doggie," Jack growled, sitting down between him and Andy.
The Braves went quietly in the top half of the first inning. Charlie, the veteran of the staff, didn't have his best stuff. But the Braves' defense backed him, and he escaped without allowing any runs after a hit and walk.
Zach came into the dugout and went directly to Greg. "He's throwing his shoulder open again. Yet. Still. Fix it," Zach growled. Maddux nodded Charlie into the dugout tunnel as Zach pulled off his catching gear to start off the second inning batting. He doubled and Austin singled him home. Eddie Rosario belted a homerun into the right field bleachers. The Braves were up three runs. Greg and Charlie came out of the tunnel. Greg was holding the iPad that showed Charlie his pitching motion.
Charlie shook his head at Zach. "OK. I get what you've been trying to tell me now my last two starts."
Zach smiled, pulling on his chest protector. "Then let's rock and roll Mort," he grinned.
Charlie and the Braves did exactly that, winning nine to two.
The team bus neared the hotel. Jack looked at Zach. "The food has gotten better at Wrigley."
"Yeah, it has," Zach smiled. "But?" Jack looked at him. "I know you," Zach grinned.
Jack nodded down the street at the McDonald's as the bus pulled up to the hotel. "Wanna share a ten-pack Nuggets and a soda?" Zach smiled at Jack. "Just us?"
"Just us," Zach grinned, getting Jack off the bus in front of him.
Andy looked at the two of them. "Dans, Austin and I are going up to the Steakhouse. Care to join us?"
The Hotchner brothers shook their heads. "We're heading to the Golden Arches for some brother bonding," Zach winked at Andy.
Jack looked at Andy. "Minnie, you get that peppercorn encrusted steak again and Zach and me have to put up with your farts tomorrow, I tell you this." Andy, Dansby and Austin looked at Jack. "You know what our dad does. And Uncle Dave's books." Jack beaded a look into Andy's eye. "We know shit."
Zach roared with laughter and then looked at Minnie. "We know more shit than you want to know."
"No peppercorn steak for you tonight Minnie," Dansby laughed.
Tuesday was a lazy day for the brothers. They slept in and joined the team for breakfast. During that time, a bunch of the guys decided to walk to Lake Michigan. It was an absolutely beautiful summer day in Chicago. The ten-minute walk was what Jack loved. The camaraderie of the guys and just hanging out together, which included the usual back and forth snark between the teammates. Zach's target was Mississippi country boy Austin Riley in the big city. He didn't disappoint his teammates, working over Riley with Matt and Dansby piling on. Austin smiled and laughed through it all, throwing some shade back.
When they got to the park by the lake, Ozzie elbowed Jack. "Give me your cell and get your brother. I'll take a picture of the two of you." When he was finished, Ozzie looked at Jack's cell. "I gotta say man, you better show this to Beth. This is Christmas card quality dude," Ozzie grinned with his megawatt smile.
"Thanks Oz," Jack grinned, looking at the picture. "It's great. Beth will love it."
"You're welcome," Ozzie grinned back. "Now stop growing," Ozzie growled. "You've got an inch on me."
"Sorry Oz," Jack smiled. "Look at my brother and you know dad."
"I hate tall people," Ozzie snarked back, shaking his head. Jack laughed.
When the brothers got back to their room, Andy was just finishing a Zoom session with Victoria. "Love you too Vic," Zach smiled, looking over Andy's shoulder.
"Me too Vic," Jack grinned, looking over Andy's other shoulder.
Victoria smiled. "Jack, I just looked out the window. Your posse just rode by on their bikes on the way down to the house."
"Dad, Beth and Uncle Dave are looking forward to seeing them," Jack smiled back.
During batting practice, Zach, Dansby and Austin did the usual drilling some pitches into the outfield seats. But they mainly hit lazy fly balls to Jack out in left field for him to catch. Jack had a blast. Before the start of the game, Jack played catch with Austin in front of the dugout.
The game was a pitcher's duel between Max Fried, another left-hander the Braves had that was as good as Andy, and the Cubs' pitcher Drew Smyly, a former pitcher with the Braves. Jack loved listening to Doggie, Mort and Andy talking together as Max threw BBs to Zach. "Set him up with the fastball Cob," Greg said. Which Zach called and Max perfectly placed. "Now give him the change-up." Max did. Greg looked at the three and smiled.
In the sixth inning, Ronnie coaxed a walk out of Smyly. Dansby followed with a bloop hit down the third base line that he beat out. Ole plunked a weak hit over the shortstop's head. Ron Washington, the Braves' third base coach, who was normally aggressive, held up Ronnie. Zach came up and deposited the first pitch he saw onto Waverly Avenue, the street behind the outfield of Wrigley Field. Max cruised through the seventh inning. Tyler Matzek pitched a perfect eighth inning and Kenley Jansen, the Braves closer, sealed the deal in the bottom of the ninth.
But the game did cost the team a valuable member. Ozzie fouled a ball off his foot after Zach's grand slam and had to be helped into the dugout and down the steps to the locker room. Zach looked at Jack. "I know," Jack said. "Injuries are part of the game. But he's my friend," he added, shaking his head.
"He's my friend too," Zach smiled, pulling Jack to him. "I get it." It was a somber ride back to the hotel with the news that Ozzie had broken his foot.
Zach, Jack and Andy were sitting in their room, enjoying their late night Subway sandwiches. Zach and Andy polished off the last two beers from Zach's bodega run that they had kept chilled, compliments of the ice machine down the hall, in one of the room's trashcans.
Jack looked at Zach. "I know, unlike some of my friends that have older siblings that buy them alcohol, you won't."
Zach looked at him. "That's dad's and Beth's decision. Not mine."
"I get that," Jack said. "And respect you for that. But…" he hesitated. "Can I have a sip?" Jack nodded at Zach's beer.
Zach looked at Andy. Minnie looked at his best friend. "You don't remember that Cob when you were his age?" Andy grinned. "I bet it was Dave that gave you your first one." Zach handed his beer to Jack.
Jack took a sip and barely choked it down. "How can you drink that?"
Zach and Andy laughed. "It's an acquired taste," Zach smiled.
"Cob, it all is. Beer, wine, alcohol." Andy observed. "Our parents grew on Boone's Farm wine because they were smart enough to market a sweet product that teenagers would love. And as young as they were and not used to alcohol, it fit the bill. They got drunk."
"You gotta point Minnie," Zach smiled. He looked at Jack. "But five years from now, Minnie and I are going to remind you of what you just said." They all laughed.
With the afternoon game Wednesday, it was an early start for everyone. But it was the game Jack was truly looking forward to. Snit would not make Zach catch a day game after a night game. Zach was in the line-up as the DH. Travis was doing the catching. Jack and Zach enjoyed ten minutes playing catch in front of the dugout at Wrigley. The Braves cruised to a six to two victory, sweeping the series.
The team busses pulled into Truist Park a little after eleven Wednesday night. The team got off, did the usual in the locker room and headed to their vehicles to get home. Zach and Jack walked to Zach's truck. "How did this get here?" Jack asked.
Zach smiled at Jack. "A story for you to hear tomorrow from dad and Uncle Dave."
A little before midnight, Zach pulled his truck into the garage. He looked at Jack, dozing in the passenger seat and softly hit his chest. "You are sixteen, going on seventeen," Zach sang. Jack woke up. "But I'm not carrying your ass into the house anymore," Zach said.
Jack laughed and then yawned. "Nice job on the singing."
Zach opened his door. "Bro, I don't know about you. But I want to get my ass into my bed and wrap my arms around my wife. If you want to sleep in the truck, go for it."
Jack opened his door. "I'm looking forward to sleeping in my second bed with Molly," he smiled.
The boys came into the quiet home. The kitchen light was on. Aaron was waiting for his sons, sitting at the nook counter, sipping a glass of scotch. Aaron stood up and pulled Jack into a hug. "You have a good trip?"
"Other than Ozzie getting hurt, the best dad," Jack smiled, hugging Aaron back. He looked at his dad and his brother. He pointed to his dad's glass of scotch and the one Aaron had waiting for Zach. "Is that an acquired taste as well?" he snarked with a yawn.
"Yes it is shithead," Zach growled. "Thanks for busting my ass. Get to bed."
Jack hugged Aaron again. "Good night dad. Love you," Jack said and headed down the hall, pulling his suitcase.
Aaron looked at Zach. "I gave him a taste of my beer last night," Zach confessed.
Aaron softly laughed. "I'm surprised that hasn't happened earlier," he smiled, nodding at Zach to sit down next to him at the nook counter.
Zach pushed his glass to the next chair and came around the counter to sit next to his dad. "You OK son?"
Zach looked at his dad, taking a drink. "Yeah dad. You know road trips. They suck the sap out of all of us."
Aaron smiled. "I've had a few as well."
Zach shook his head. "I know. More than a few. And a helluva lot more important than playing baseball."
"Not my point Zach," Aaron softly said. "You're a husband and father now. A role you take very seriously. I'm proud of you."
"I learned from the best," Zach smiled.
Aaron looked at Zach. "I'm also very proud that you have never forgotten that you are big brother. And baseball has been a fabric of you and Jack's years together. You know how much this all means to Jack."
"He's my brother," Zach said, looking at his dad.
Aaron smiled. "That's why I appreciate you doing this."
Zach looked at his dad. "Maybe you should join us some time," he smiled.
"I would love that possibility," Aaron smiled.
Zach drained his drink. "I love you dad. But I need to head to bed and curl up with my wife."
Aaron finished his drink and smiled at Zach. "I need to do the same."
"Good night dad," Zach said, hugging his dad.
"Good night son," Aaron replied, hugging Zach back. "I'll put the glasses in the dishwasher. Head upstairs."
"Thanks. Night dad. Love you," Zach yawned, heading to the steps with his suitcase.
"Love you too son," Aaron smiled, putting the two glasses into the dishwasher. He shut off the kitchen light and followed the dim lights of the pool to the patio. Aaron shut the pool lights off and used the moonlight to get to the guesthouse door.
XXX
A/N: I know a lot of you are not baseball fans. That said, if I stepped on any toes with the geographical references, my deepest apologies. It's just fanfiction folks.
Dopey is a reference back to Brothers Hotchner.
Ozzie Albies is five-foot eight (1.72 meters). Let's be real folks. Jack is a junior in high school and his father is six-foot two (1.88 meters). I'm going through the same thing with my oldest nephew. His dad is six-foot four. BD loves to tell me he's taller than I am.
Yes, I'm setting up another story. And yes, you got the Rockie quick movie review of Top Gun: Maverick. :D