"Pop fly to right center. Johnson makes an easy catch and Woodrow is out of there."
"Come on, Mets! You're killing me here!" Jerry yelled to the television.
He leaned back against the sofa cushions and glanced at his watch.
"Wow, it's really late. I thought for sure that Elaine would have called by now. She would love this game. Baltimore is annihilating the Mets tonight. Maybe I should call
her."
He reached for his cordless phone and dialed her number
(Several minutes earlier)
Elaine walked into her apartment, tossing her keys haphazardly onto her cushioned chair. She'd worry about finding them later. It wasn't like she was going anywhere anytime soon.
As she entered her bedroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror.
The image startled her.
Her eyes (usually her best feature) were red and irritated from crying and the makeup she'd so carefully applied was now smudged. And her hair was a nightmare in itself!
Damn it, Elaine. You should have listened to Jerry. What were you thinking, trying to make amends with a witch like Sue Ellen?
She and David can have each other.
Suddenly the phone rang, almost causing Elaine to jump out of her skin. Who would be calling at this hour? After the second ring, she walked over and looked at the
Caller ID... Damn, it's Jerry. She wanted so much to pick up the phone and talk to him. As sappy as it sounded, she missed him with all her heart.
It rang again and again, until finally the answering machine clicked on.
"Lainey, it's me. Hey, I'm just sitting here watching the game. The Orioles are playing the Mets. Killing them, actually. I thought you might stop by, but I guess you're still out
with Sue Ellen. Call me when you get this, okay? Just wanted to make sure that everything went all right. Love you!"
When the machine clicked off, Elaine's heart caught in her chest. The last two words-"love you" were short and subtle, but they meant so much. She knew how hard it
must have been for Jerry to say them. He was never one for sentiment. Well, until lately it seemed; and that was definitely okay.
Without out warning Sue Ellen's hateful words crashed through Elaine's thoughts; resounding in her head like a pounding headache; "You had to settle for that pathetic
lowlife Jerry Seinfeld. No other man would want you, anyway..."
Tears sprang to her eyes once more. Wearily she undressed and stepped into the shower, trying unsuccessfully to wash away the memories of this horrible evening.
Moments later, she was curling up under the warm blankets... Alone...
Just as she drifted off to sleep, the phone rang.
... and rang...
... And rang...
And then the answering machine clicked on. She heard an unmistakable sigh and then familiar mumbling.
"The machine again... Oh, hey Lainey. It's me again. Look, I know it's late and I'm sorry if I woke you, but you never called me back. I was just... a little worried. Oh hell, what
am I saying? I'm a lot worried, okay? I admit it. God, I... I can't believe I'm so nervous here. We've known each other forever and slept together how many times? Anyway, call
me. Please? Well, love you. Bye."
When the message ended, Elaine pulled the blankets closer to her body and hugged her pillow tightly.
I love you too, Jerry...