Page 69 of Totally Opposed

“Oh no, I’m not staying. I have a game to get to.”

“Gramps, it’s okay. You can come another time. You really should—”

“The doctor said an hour for observation. I was only off the meds for a week. They say the meds will start doin’ their thing again in an hour or so. I’ll be good to go. I just need to get Precious her treats so she has something to eat.”

“Oh, I grabbed those, too,” I say, handing Kelly the bag.

“Nice, then I guess you will be all set,” she replies. “I can drop him to the game when he’s cleared. You two better get going or you’ll miss your opening number.”

“I don’t know,” Alan says, and I reach over and take his hand.

“If you want to stay, you can, we can. They can just skip our number. The OG’s have their thing planned, anyway. The crowd won’t mind.”

“Like hell,” Gramps interjects. “You said you wanted to whoop these fellas, and that starts as soon as the gates open. Off you go. I’ll be there before the first pitch is thrown. Kelly, go find that young doctor of mine. It’s time we got me out of this joint.”

“If you’re sure,” Alan says, reaching over with his free hand and laying it over his grandfathers’. It’s the first time I’ve seen them have any contact, and Don’s eyes move to where theirhands touch, then he lays his free hand over the top sandwiching Alan’s hand between his.

“I’m positive. Go. I’ll see you soon.”

We leave the room, and Kelly walks with us to the nurses’ station.

“Fucking hell, that was scary,” she says when we are far enough away from earshot of Don.

“Are you okay?” I ask, and she nods and smiles, her gaze moving between Alan and me.

“He’s a good man,” she says to Alan, and he nods and looks at me.

“I know. He’s the best.”

“I’ll let you know if they want to keep him longer, but the doc did say he could go soon, so I’ll get him checked out and I’ll text you when we’re there, I might even come in and watch, I still have my ticket, okay?”

“They won’t let the cat in,” Alan warns, and Kelly laughs.

“I got it into the bowling bag once, I can do it again. Fingers crossed they don’t ask to look in the bag or they might be the ones headed to the hospital,” she says, holding up her hand and the fresh two stitches, and we leave her to it.

I drive the short distance to the stadium and park the car.

“He’s been watching all along,” I say, and Alan turns in the chair towards me.

“What?”

“Your gramps. His window has a perfect view of the stadium and with those binoculars, he can see the diamond.”

“He watches people from the window like a creepy busybody,” Alan objects, but I shake my head.

“I saw it today. When I was at his place. From his chair by the window, he can watch it all. And you heard him just now. He wants to come. He wants to watch you.”

“But why now?”

“Maybe he regretted saying no and was waiting for you to ask again so he could say yes.”

“You think?”

“He’s always at that window when I get home on game nights.”

“He is?”

“He is.”

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