Chapter 5
The group in the balcony waited as Jake's closed coffin was wheeled out of the church. They all stood up to honor him as the coffin was slowly wheeled down the middle aisle of the church with his family following him. Zach wiped a tear. So did Jack taking Dave's handkerchief.
"Thanks Uncle Dave," Jack whispered, handing it back to him.
Once the Whitten family left, Dave looked at Zach and softly said, "You going to the graveside service?"
Zach shook his head. "We need to get on the road," he answered in the same tone, "and get to our southern home. The Braves had no problems with me taking today off. But I've got to be there tomorrow night. Cal and I need to get on the road to Gastonia, spend the night, and then make the push home. And I want to beat rush hour traffic this afternoon. I'm hoping to leave before two."
"Can I come along?" Jack asked. Zach and Caleigh looked at Aaron and Beth.
Pete and Lisa looked at Aaron and Beth. "We're going down the first weekend in August. I won't miss that legends weekend," Pete said. "Before the Nats came to town, I was a Braves fan as well. And of course," he smiled, "Zach has me hooked up."
"Guy's weekend," Lisa said, rolling her eyes. She smiled at Beth. "It'll be girl's weekend at Caleigh's house."
Jack looked at his dad and Beth. "Guy's weekend? Come on," he pleaded.
"You won't be bat boy," Zach pointed out.
"That's OK," Jack smiled.
Pete smiled at the Hotchner's. "We have no problem bringing him home." Lisa nodded with a smile.
Beth looked at Aaron who softly growled. "On one condition." Pete and Lisa looked at them. Aaron smiled. "We pay for your night in Gastonia on the way back home."
Zach looked at Pete. "Stan, I'm begging you. Do not try to make the drive back in one day on Sunday. Especially with Amelia being so young. And then throw Jack into the mix."
Rachel looked at her niece and her husband and jumped in. "Zach's right; don't try to make a nine hour trip with a two month old like you originally planned. Take another day of vacation on Monday," she said. She smiled at the Hotchner's with a point. "Good call."
"I give up," Pete softly smiled.
Aaron looked at Beth. She rubbed Jack's shoulder. "I think we need to get home and do some quick packing for you buddy," she smiled at him.
The rest in the balcony smiled their approval of the plan and then shared quiet good-byes with the couple.
-00CM00-
Zach and Caleigh pulled into the other Hotchner driveway in northern Virginia with Lexie in the backseat of Caleigh's car. Zach deeply eyed Jack coming out of the house with his backpack. "You do know I've got a road trip starting next Thursday?"
"I know," Jack said. "I just wanna be there and spend some time with Cal and Lex." He stuck his backpack that included his iPad Zach and Caleigh had bought him for Christmas into the backseat of the vehicle.
"Good answer," Caleigh smiled.
Zach grabbed Jack's bag that his dad brought out. He looked at Beth. "Packed light you did," he smiled.
"Your Jedi Master has a washer and dryer," Beth smiled back.
"Good answer," Zach smiled, kissing her cheek and giving her a hug. Caleigh hugged Aaron.
"Thanks you two," Jack said, hugging them both. "I'll miss you. But I just need this right now. I just wanna be with Zach after losing Jake."
"We understand," Beth smiled, pulling him into a hug. "And why we support this buddy." Zach and Aaron shared a deep hug.
-00CM00-
Jack and Lex were soundly sleeping together in the other double bed of the hotel room in Gastonia. Lex had gobbled down her kibble as the other three hit the local McDonald's that Jack wanted. Jack looked at Zach, about to shove in his sixth Chicken McNugget. "McDonald's isn't a bad memory anymore," he smiled.
Zach nuzzled up to Cal in the darkened room. "So much for the romantic night I had in mind," he whispered.
Cal softly giggled. "Remember what happened the last time?"
Zach softly laughed as well. "Just as I'm getting it on, I got a cold nose on my butt from the mutt wondering what the hell I was doing to her mom." They both laughed at the memory and then quickly feel asleep with the emotions of the week taking their toll.
-00CM00-
On the flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers, Zach called Caleigh. "Hi babe," he smiled.
"Hi you," she smiled. "What's it like to be back playing baseball?" Zach had played his first game that afternoon against the Chicago Cubs in Atlanta after coming off the disabled list.
"It's great to be back," he smiled. "How's Jack?"
"Bored. Zach, Jack likes it here but he needs a little freedom. He's enjoying the pool we put in but he needs to be social and get out on his own. That's his age."
Zach smiled into his phone. "Then babe, take him tomorrow and buy him a bike; one he can grow into a bit. We can afford it. Call it an early birthday present. And he'll have one there in his second home. Just don't forget a helmet."
"First off Zach, you think I'd forget the helmet?"
"My bad."
"Secondly, getting a bike that is put together involves a run to Walmart. You know how I feel about going there."
"But babe, you can charm one of those employees to put the already put together bike into the back of the truck that you'll take since I rode to the stadium before we left with Andy."
"You still owe me big time," Caleigh said.
"Babe, I'm starting a west coast road trip. Don't remind me what I'm missing."
Caleigh smiled. "Love you too."
"And babe, let Jack have a little freedom to go to the park down the road. He's an FBI agent's kid. He knows what not to trust. And how to handle it."
"That is not my worry Zach. I know Jack is now old enough to recognize a bad situation."
"So what's your worry?"
"Dealing with Walmart customers down south. The staff I can handle."
Zach smiled. "Cal, just have a blind eye and be your charming self. And hang tough my love. It's for Jack."
-00CM00-
Jack blew down the driveway on his new bike of his southern home with his helmet on and a big smile on his face. A block away, two boys his age came around a corner on their bikes. One boy smiled at him.
"You going to the park?" one boy asked.
"Yeah; I'm Jack. Mind if I tag along?"
"Hi Jack," the boy smiled back. "Not at all; but you're not from around here."
Jack shook his head as they pedaled their bikes. "I live in D.C. with my parents. But my brother and his wife live down here and I'm visiting them." The three boys rode together to the park. Jack noticed the other boy slightly twisting his hand as he rode. They put their bikes into the bike rack, hanging the helmets on the handlebars.
"I'm Rashad," the one boy smiled.
"Hey Rashad," Jack said. Jack noticed the other boy still slightly twisting his hand back and forth.
"This is my friend Miguel," Rashad said. "He's got autism. That's why he twists his hand in a new situation."
"New situation?" Jack asked.
"Going to the park is something we do almost every day. You're making the situation new in his world by joining us. Just give him time. And he's a great friend," Rashad smiled.
Jack shook his head. "You are an amazing friend as well," he smiled at Rashad. "Hi Miguel," he smiled at the boy.
Miguel looked at Rashad. Rashad smiled at Miguel and nodded his head with his bright smile. "Hi," Miguel softly said.
Jack smiled back. He noticed the soccer ball in the net bag Miguel had around his back. "Do you play?" Miguel nodded. The boys took off for a grassy, open area of the park.
While taking a break, drinking water at a fountain in the park, enjoying the shade, Rashad looked at Jack. "Why does your brother live down here?"
Jack smiled. "He plays for the Braves."
Miguel's head shot up and he looked at Jack. "We're both huge fans," Rashad smiled. "Who's your brother?"
"Zach Hotchner," Jack said, beaming with pride.
"Catcher," Miguel said. Jack noticed his hand stopped twisting.
"Can we meet him some time?" Rashad asked.
"Sure," Jack smiled.
-00CM00-
Two hours later, Jack, hot and sweaty, blew into the home through the garage door. "Cal?" Jack bellowed. "Where are you? I'm hungry!"
Caleigh came down the steps. "I was cleaning your bathroom. Dude, hit the toilet when you pee."
"Sorry Cal," Jack smiled. "My aim is like Zach's during the day. At night…" he let his voice trail off.
"Harder try Jedi," Caleigh smiled. "Did you have fun?" she asked, rubbing his shoulder
Jack brightly smiled. "Yeah, I did. I met a couple guys to play soccer with. I hope we can be friends."
Caleigh looked at him. "Hope?"
"I'll explain during lunch," Jack said, looking at her. "I'm really hungry."
Jack was eating his second grilled cheese and looked at Caleigh. "Miguel has autism. It took him some time to get comfortable around me. And he didn't talk to me other than to say hi and good-bye. Except for when he found out who Zach was. He and Rashad are big fans."
Caleigh smiled. "That's the way autism is Jack. You were new in his routine."
Jack smiled. "Rashad explained that to me. He was the other kid. With your master's degree," Caleigh smiled at him with a wink, "can you tell me more about autism? I'm sorta proud of you Cal."
"I'm sorta proud of me," Caleigh smiled back. And then explained the effects of autism to Jake.
"So that's why he twists his hand?" Jack asked. Caleigh nodded with a smile. "He knew what position Zach played. He said it. But just the one word. And I noticed his hand stopped twisting."
Caleigh smiled. "Because watching the Braves is probably part of his routine. Jack, autistics can be highly intelligent. In most cases, they just can't communicate that intelligence. It sounds to me like Miguel has a less debilitating form of autism than most kids." Jack looked at her. "Number one, he can ride a bike. Number two, he has the foot eye coordination to play soccer. Autism is mainly affecting his communication and social skills."
"He's pretty good at soccer," Jack smiled.
-00CM00-
Six days later, Rashad and Miguel were waiting in the park for Jack. "Jack?" Miguel asked.
"He said he would be here today," Rashad said. He looked off to the spot where they all entered the park and noticed Jack biking up with another person with him on his own bike. "Whoa," Rashad said, pointing for Miguel to see. Miguel's hand started twisting. The Hotchner brothers put their bikes in the rake, taking off their helmets and walked up to the boys.
"Hey Rashad," Zach smiled. "Nice to meet you." They shared a handshake.
"Awesome to meet you Cob, errrr Zach," he slightly smiled.
"Cob works man," Zach smiled, rubbing his shoulder.
Miguel looked at Jack. "Miguel this is my brother Zach," he smiled at Miguel. Both the brothers noticed his hand twisting.
Zach smiled at Miguel. "Nice to meet you as well Miguel. I hear you're a big Braves fan."
"Why JW on spikes?" Miguel asked.
Ever since Jake passed, Zach took a special white pen before each game and put Jake's initials on the heel of each of his black spikes. Zach softly smiled at him and crouched down. "A good friend of mine died a couple weeks ago from cancer. We went to the same church. He was a little older than me and had courageously battled that disease for seven years." Jack watched the discussion, admiring Zach's gentle explanation to Miguel. "I do that to honor him."
Miguel held out the hand that usually twisted for a fist bump. Zach softly smiled with a gentle bump back. "Come on guys," he smiled, standing up. "You got some soccer to play."
-00CM00-
The two boys and their parents joined Pete and Jack at the Friday night game Pete came down to see, compliments of Zach. With Miguel's autism, they were in John Schuerholz's suite. It also included early access to the stadium to watch the Braves in batting practice. The parents got a ton pictures with Rashad, Miguel, Jack and the Braves' players on their digital cameras. Zach gave Miguel and Rashad a ball signed by the entire team as well as one from him.
Miguel gave the balls to his mother and looked at Zach. His hand stopped twisting. He raised it for a fist bump. "JW," he said.
"For JW," Zach smiled, giving him a bump.
The Braves won 9-2. Zach homered twice; each time pointing to the skies and then the suite. John Schuerholz smiled at Miguel as Jack and Rashad shared high fives. Miguel joined in on the high five fest.
Rashad looked at Jack. Jack looked at Caleigh. "Routine," he smiled.
"Yup bro," Caleigh smiled, rubbing Jack's back. The rest in the suite smiled as well.
-00CM0-
Rashad and Miguel's parents brought the boys to the house Sunday morning to thank Zach, once again, for his generosity. And to meet Caleigh and let the boys say good-bye to Jack.
Miguel got out of the car and noticed Lex. His hand started twisting. His dad looked at him. "Miguel, who does the dog look like?"
"Em."
"That's right," Pedro smiled. "Just like Uncle Ernesto's Emily. You love Emily."
Caleigh made sure Lex was sitting next to her. Zach made the introductions. Miguel walked up to the dog, his hand still twisting. "Her name is Lex," Caleigh smiled.
"Lex," Miguel said. Lexie held up her right front paw for a handshake. She got a Miguel fistbump. Lex gently stood up and licked his face. Miguel petted her head.
As Pete buckled in Amelia's car seat in the backseat, the good-byes were tough.
Miguel leaned against his mom twisting his hand. She gently put her arm around him. Rashad cried into his mom's chest as the car pulled away. Jack wiped tears in the backseat.
Almost like a couple weeks earlier, Jack thought. But these friends will be waiting for me next summer he smiled to himself, taking the tissue Lisa offered him, blowing his nose.
Mom I hope you've met Jake Jack thought and then relaxed.
Pete looked at Lisa with a smile.
#####
A/N: Yup; I sorta did it to you all again. I wanted to honor a friend. This how I do it in my world.
I cannot begin to express my thanks to two very special people. The first is my mentor. With her once again sage advice, I hope I did this right in her eyes. *Knightly bow*
But my mentor, you don't get the headline position for this story.
That goes to my OK Teacher. I said it before; I'll say it again. When she's on her summer break, I use her. And probably in her world, abuse her. :D I told her my mentor's advice. She offered to read this one, taking in my mentor's advice. And then did two proof readings. Two.
But here's the real rub. My original write of this final chapter didn't work with her. And she gently gave me her professional knowledge. My usually final happy chapter was not accurate. Especially in dealing with autism.
The chapter you all just read was because of her. Being a teacher and knowing a lot more about autism than I do, she changed the total dynamic of this chapter. And through her advice, she got me pointed in the right direction.
Honestly? I'm more proud of this chapter than the original one I wrote.
I owe that all to my OK Teacher. And I've got ammo for next summer to work in the "original" chapter I wrote. In other words, the realm of these stories is not going to end. But did you really doubt that? :D
No Star Wars thing for my OK Teacher. She's not into that.
Just thank a teacher for me in honor of my OK Teacher every chance you get.
Thank you all for the reviews; and the following or favorite alerts.