The Sweetest Game (The Perfect Game 3)

Gramps slapped Jack on the back. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world, kid. ”

“Are you ready to go, babe?” I asked my husband and he nodded. “Jack’s ready,” I announced to our small group. “We’ll see you all at the house. ”

“We’ll bring Chance with us,” Melissa offered and I enthusiastically agreed. Sometimes it made life easier to get a little break.

After another round of hugs, Jack and I walked hand in hand out of the underground tunnels for the last time. Passing by a lone reporter, Jack stopped to shake his hand, and dropped his duffel bag on the ground.

“Jack, do you have a comment? Something to leave your fans with?” the familiar reporter asked.

“Hey, Casey. You remember my wife, Cassie. ” Jack introduced me to the reporter, but I couldn’t place him exactly.

“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Carter. I bet you’re excited to have Jack home full-time now. ”

“You have no idea. ” I squeezed Jack’s arm and smiled.

“So, how about that quote, Jack? Anything you want to say to memorialize your career?”

Jack grew silent and I knew he was deep in thought. He took a deep breath before saying, “It’s one hell of a sledgehammer to the chest when your baseball career comes to an end. It’s like you finally realize that baseball never loved you back. All the sleepless nights, the hours spent at the gym trying to stay fit, the conditioning, the training, the mental preparation, the holidays missed, the birthdays passed, the memories you didn’t get to make with your family … all for what? It’s not like baseball lost any sleep over you. She didn’t stay awake for nights on end, trying to figure out how to make you a better player. She didn’t care. Baseball’s a business. A sport. A game. And as much as my entire life has been wrapped up in it, it’s time to let it go. ”

“So, is it safe to say that you’re quitting for your family?”

Jack squeezed my hand. “It’s safe to say that I’m quitting for me. I want to know what it’s like to have a life outside baseball while my body can still do the things I want it to, knock on wood. I want to experience a weekend that isn’t filled with hitting, pitching, fielding, working out, or meetings. ”

He flashed me a big smile, and said, “I want to wake up in the morning and not worry about whether or not my hand is going to tighten up today or if I’m still playing well enough to stay on the team that I love. I’ve given so much time and energy to this sport, but now it’s time for me to give the same attention to my wife and son. I’m ready to have a life that includes them all the time, not just three months out of the year. ”

My heart squeezed inside my chest as the blood started pumping wildly in my veins. Every single thing this man did filled me with pride and love.

“Thank you, Jack. And congratulations. You’re a hell of a player. ”

“Thanks, Casey. That means a lot coming from you. ”

The two men shook hands before Jack led me away from the stadium. I fought the urge to cry as we pulled out of the parking lot for the last time.

“It’s so weird to think of you without thinking about baseball. ”

He glanced at me. “You think it’s weird for you, how do you think I feel? I have to figure out who I am all over again. ”

“You know who you are. ”

“A man in love with his Kitten?”

I gave him a mock frown. “Jack, be serious. ”

“Part of my identity for as long as I can remember is being a baseball player. If I’m not that anymore, then who am I?”

“Who do you want to be?”

“Harry Potter,” he teased.

I laughed out loud and grabbed his hand. “Mission accomplished. ”

Two Months Later …

I didn’t know what to do with myself with all the free time Jack’s help gave me. It made me realize that I had been living a sort of single mom life, although I’d never admit that to Jack now. It served no purpose. I simply made sure to thank him for everything he was doing to help.

Longing to make up for lost time, Jack refused to let me help with Chance’s homework, and woke up every morning to drive him to school. He even called Nora behind my back and told her I was ready to start taking on assignments. I had to tell Jack to “slow his roll. ” Yes, I wanted to work again someday, but not the second after he had stopped.

“You’re trying to get me out of the house,” I said after learning that he reached out to Nora.