Feet! Black tall girly-shoes!
Noticing the pair of heels, I hustled to the side of the dugout nearest the seats. I glanced to my left, spotted Melissa, and smiled as she turned toward me and waved. I gave her a quick wave back before pointing to the seat next to her with a shrug. She shook her head and my smile dropped, along with my heart. I tried to mouth, “She’s not coming?” Apparently she couldn’t read my lips.
“Carter! Get over here,” the manager yelled and I jerked my head behind me. “Go get warmed up. ”
I grabbed a pen and a program, and scribbled out Where is she? before walking up to our teenaged bat boy. “Hey, Cody, do me a favor. See that girl over there with the curly brown hair and the giant pink purse?”
Cody craned his neck. “The one in the Diamondbacks shirt?”
“Yeah. Can you give her this?”
“Sure, Jack. ” His face lit up and I only imagined what he thought I was trying to do.
“Make sure you wait for her response and then hold on to it for me, okay?”
“Okay. ”
“Thanks, Cody,” I said, before grabbing my glove and running toward the outfield.
I failed to realize that I’d be spending the majority of the game in the bullpen, which couldn’t be further away from the seats I’d reserved if I tried.
I sprinted into the dugout, looking around for Cody like a madman. “Cody?” I yelled.
“Here, Jack. ” He held out the folded program.
She couldn’t come. She said it’s too hard. Jack, she’s leaving tonight for New York! She’s moving there!!
I ran to the far end of the dugout, my face frantic as I caught sight of Dean sitting in the seat I’d bought for Cassie. I whisper-shouted his name and he turned, his eyes wide at the sight of me.
“What time’s her flight?” I shouted, not caring who heard.
Dean turned his head toward Melissa before turning back to mine. “She’s leaving the apartment at ten thirty. ”
I glanced around frantically looking for a fucking clock, knowing full well there wasn’t one in the visitor dugout. I leaned over the cold railing and craned my neck toward the scoreboard. The numbers 9:03 splashed across the black board in yellow lights. I released a breath. I still had time.
*****
The sound of my tires squealing into the parking lot caused Cassie to turn in my direction. A cab driver tossed the last of her suitcases into the trunk before slamming it shut.
I hopped out of my car and rushed toward her. “Cassie!” I shouted, not stopping as my hat flew off.
“Jack, what are you doing here? Don’t you have a game?” Her eyes widened.
“It’s done and I drove straight here. ” I reached her and grabbed her shoulders with both hands, as if my touch alone would stop her. “So it’s true? You’re really leaving?”
“It’s an incredible opportunity, Jack,” she responded, her voice cold.
“But you’re not even finished with school yet. ” I could hear a little whine in my own voice, but hell, I was desperate.
“You weren’t either when you left to pursue your dreams. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll come back and finish. But I don’t have to get my bachelor’s degree to do what I want to do. ” Cassie looked so resolute, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Don’t go. ”
“What?”
“Don’t go, Kitten. Don’t move across the country,” I pleaded, this scene all too familiar in my head. “I know things are different and maybe I fucked them up so badly that they’re beyond repair. But I want to try. I need to try. I can’t let you walk out of my life without knowing that I did everything in my power to keep you in it. ”
“What are you saying, Jack?” Her eyes welled up as she blinked back tears.