1993

x

"We pick Kara!" Danny called.

Kara's head shot up in surprise. At home she was always the last kid picked for games, because she was so small. Even from across the field, she could see the incredulous look on Scott's face as he elbowed Danny and hissed, loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Why did you waste our first pick on her?"

Some of the kids around them chuckled, and Kara felt her face flaming, but Danny elbowed Scott back. "And who won hide-and-seek last year? Kara's quick and she's fast."

At that, Kara saw a few kids nodding, as though they were agreeing. Scott gave a long, audible sigh. "Fine, get over here Kara. But if you are first out, I'm taking your smores tonight, Danny."

Kara trotted across the field as the two teams continued picking. While Ron and Luke, the captains of the other team, debated their pick, Danny leaned towards Kara. "You can play baseball, right?"

"Play with my dad all the time," Kara replied firmly, although she could feel her stomach tighten into a knot. If they lost because of her, would Danny be mad at her?

"I knew it. We're going to win." Danny grinned, putting out his knuckles for Kara to bump before adding. "And it will be way more fun to be on the same team anyway."

Five innings later, Kara wasn't so sure. Danny's dad had just appeared to tell them to wrap the game up, and they were behind by two runs. Danny managed to get to first base and Kara was up. She wanted a hit right now so badly that she was shaking. At the first throw, she swung too early, missing the ball completely. She could feel the sweat rolling down her back.

"You can do it, Kara!"

Danny's words echoed in her head as Kara focused her attention on the ball that was headed her way. Her eyes narrowed, and she didn't move a muscle, even to blink. It was only when the bat connected with a loud crack that Kara finally let out her breath.

"Run already!" Scott shouted, and Kara realized that she was still at home plate. She tore off to first, hanging a quick left and making it to second. But it didn't matter, because Danny was already headed home, meaning that her double scored three runs and they won!

Danny charged out from home base, picking her up and swinging her around and around. "Way to go, Kara! I knew we were going to win!"

Finally back on her feet, Kara laughed until her sides hurt. As they trotted in from the field, Kara saw someone join Danny's dad. She dropped her voice. "You mom came this year."

"Yeah. Things are better, I think anyway." Danny hesitated, then added. "I didn't see your mom. I thought maybe she was staying in the tent."

Kara swallowed the lump in her throat. "No. She didn't come."

"Maybe it will be like my folks, and they'll work it out," Danny offered, but Kara knew that it wasn't the same at all. Danny's parents might have been fighting about his brother, but they never seemed to dislike each other. Not the way Kara's parents did, anyway. Her parents barely even talked anymore. Instead, her mother spent the days in bed drinking and her father avoided their house as much as possible, sometimes staying away for weeks at a time.

Still, she forced herself to smile, the way she always did when people at home asked about her parents. She was good at pretending that everything was okay. "Maybe."

But Danny didn't smile back, instead he frowned. Then, after looking around quickly, he reached out and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry."

Just then Danny's dad called again. "Danny! Kara! Time for dinner!"

Danny grinned at her. "I'm starving. Think they have hot dogs?"

This time, Kara didn't need to force herself to smile. "Let's go check."