“Dr. Hebert said I was well enough to come home. So you, my friend, are taking me out tonight,” she informed me.
“What makes you think that?” I asked.
She just smiled at me. She knew I’d take her out if she asked. Pam came up and hugged her best friend. They went off to talk while I found my family. Duke was being all bouncy, so Mom made me take him out on the field and play Frisbee. I talked Jeff and Mike into playing with us. Duke loved keep-away, and these two were willing to chase him.
We heard a loud whistle and Duke’s ears perked up. Dad gave him the hand command to come and he took off like a shot. Dad told me Duke needed to respond to commands regardless of what was going on. I was actually proud that my boy had stopped playing and responded to Dad’s command.
Mom and Dad took Duke home. I loaded up the Callahan triplets and went home to take a shower and change. I told Mom on the intercom that I was taking Tracy out to a late dinner. She reminded me it was a school night. When I picked up Tracy, she wanted to go to Monical’s. It would be the first place I would’ve picked if I had been away for a while.
Being that it was a Wednesday night, they weren’t busy. Several people who were at the game were there and congratulated me. Tracy just shook her head as almost everyone talked to me.
“Is it me, or are you becoming more popular?” she teased me after we were seated.
“Hey, it is what it is,” I joked with her.
“Next it’ll be because you’re famous and so good-looking that no one can help themselves.”
“Tracy, Tracy, Tracy, we both know that is the case now,” I said, shaking my head.
“I think I was released just in time. Someone needs to take you down a notch or two.”
“If anyone could—and I’m not saying it’s possible—it would be you,” I assured her.
She smiled and then got more serious.
“I sometimes wish I hadn’t been crazy, before. I miss you,” she told me.
I found myself a little choked up. You can’t help but wonder ‘what if?’ when you’re with your first love. Fortunately, I remembered the hurt and heartache I’d gone through after our breakup. It hadn’t helped that I was recovering from the avalanche and it was right in the middle of my mom’s cancer treatment. I’d worked my way out of all the negative feelings I had for Tracy back then, but I would never willingly allow myself to fall into that trap again.
“I know, but I think right now we both need friends,” I said.
“I can tell something’s wrong with you. What is it?” she asked.
“You’re almost as bad as Tami,” I said, giving her high praise. “I put myself out there again and it didn’t work out.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Tracy, do you really want to hear all the gory details of me breaking up with another girl?” I asked.
“No, not really. I have enough crap to deal with. I don’t need to deal with yours, too.”
“Fair enough. Let’s just say I’m not sure if getting serious is in my foreseeable future.”
“I disagree. You’re a romantic at heart. You crave having someone special in your life,” Tracy said, getting too serious.
I couldn’t look her in the eye, because she’d hit too close to home. She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. I looked up and she was smiling at me.
“Does this mean you’re free to have some fun?” she asked me.
I shook my head at her.
“I think it’s too soon,” I told her.
“I call bullshit. I think it’s exactly what you need,” she said, as she ran her foot up my calf.
“I call bullshit right back at you! You’re just horny.”
She giggled and didn’t deny it. I was about ninety percent sure we’d be naked within the next hour, but a guy has to play like he’s hard to get. Doesn’t he?
DID I EVER CALL IT? Tracy waited until we were in the Jeep on the ride to her house before she made her move. I about wrecked when she casually reached over and cupped my package. I was ordered to go to my apartment. She had me exposed by the time we got home. She was ready to mount me in the driveway, but I talked her into waiting until we got inside.
There had never been a question as to whether we were good in the sack. Tracy knows my body too well for it not to be rewarding with her. She’s also no shrinking violet. She was always up for new and fun things. I got nervous when she found Harper’s strap-on. I calmed down when she wanted to invite Pam over.
This was one of the best sessions we’d ever had. Tracy got me off four times before she let me off the mat. She was right: this was exactly what I needed. I now had fantasies about Pam being double-teamed by both of us. I looked forward to making my dreams come true.
It was a good thing I didn’t fall asleep afterward. Tracy had to get home. I was sure her parents were keeping a close eye on her.
Friday May 1
DO YOU REMEMBER THE phrase, ‘I’m glad I’m not that guy’? Today I was glad I wasn’t Mike. We were up 1–0 and Richwood had a runner at second with two outs for their final at bat. Their pinch hitter hit an easy grounder to Mike and he whiffed. The ball went under his glove. I’ve played next to Mike for two years and I’d never seen him miss a ground ball like that, even in practice.
The runner at second was off like a shot and easily scored when the ball was finally returned to the infield. The next batter came up and hit a line shot at Mike, who wasn’t there. He had broken to the second-base bag, thinking Bert would try and pick off the runner. If Mike had stood still the ball would have hit him the chest, at the very least. Instead, the ball split our outfielders and rolled to the fence, allowing the guy on first to score and win the game.
I could tell Mike was about to cry. He felt like he’d let his team down. I walked up to him and gave him a hug.
“If you cry, I’m going to kick your butt,” I told him.
He gave me a shove.
“Dick!”
“Wuss!” I shot back.
I know, it made us sound like we were in middle school, but it made him smirk. I leaned down so I could whisper to him.
“Guess who no longer has to worry about team rules and can get drunk tonight?” I asked.
He got a big grin on his face and we started dancing around. The rest of the team was confused because we looked like we were celebrating when we just lost in the first round of the State Tournament.
“What the hell are you two up to?” Wolf almost growled.
“David said we could get drunk tonight,” Mike explained.
“Hell! Yes!” Wolf exclaimed. “Where’s the party?”
“I have no idea, call Mona. She’ll know where one is,” Sammie suggested.
Moose came out and wanted to know what was up.
“What are you bunch of idiots so happy about?!” he demanded.
“Uh, David said ...” Mike started.
“That we should celebrate making it to State for the first time in nine years,” I supplied.
“Yeah, right.”
I don’t think Moose believed us, but we didn’t need him mad at us. We still had two years of baseball to play for him, plus he was one of my football coaches. The guys were nodding as though I’d just pronounced the gospel truth that I was a virgin. I needed to give these boys acting lessons.
“Jim, you’re in charge of David. Tim, you make sure the rest of the team stays out of trouble,” Moose ordered.
“Why me? I want to have fun, not watch him all night,” Jim moaned.
“Good point,” Moose said. “Jeff, you and Cassidy have to watch him too.”
I had a big stupid grin on my face that caused the team to laugh at the hound-dog looks Jeff and Jim gave me. I rubbed my hands together. We were going to have so much fun.
WE MADE IT HOME BY four o’clock. Lincoln had drawn the early game and Moose made the executive decision that the team didn’t need to go back to school. Mona didn’t know of any parties but was able to get Brit to volunteer to have one at the Callahans’ house. I knew my apartment would end up getting used, so I was busy packing away anything of value that might get broken.