Page 96 of Curveball

“We shine in the darkness, you and me.”

I know that’s a loaded statement. I’m too much of a chickenshit to respond.

We lay in bed and talk for hours about nothing and everything. It’s probably the most intimate night of my life.

At some point, I hear her breathing even out. She’s fast asleep, nuzzled into my chest.

I fight sleep, not wanting to let go of this moment with her in my arms, but eventually, it finds me.

The next night,we’re all at the ballpark watching the Anacondas game. Cheetah is up to his usual antics, dancing for the cameras. June is sitting between me and Layton.

She crosses her arms as she eyes him. “You know, Arizona is like a second daughter to me. What are your intentions with her?”

Layton smirks as he looks her in the eyes, and, without an ounce of hesitation, declares, “To love her, tomarry her, to have children with her, to grow old with her.”

I think back to what Ripley said to me last night about the way he loves my sister. She wasn’t wrong. Just a few months ago, Layton was sleeping around with no intention of playing into this notion of happily ever after, yet here we are, just a relatively short time later, and he wears his heart right there on his sleeve. He practically lives for Arizona at this point and doesn’t care who knows about it.

June slowly nods. “I can live with that answer. Just don’t fuck it up.”

He chuckles. “I won’t. I promise.”

She turns to me and whispers, so no one else can hear, “Speaking of fuckups, what about you and my daughter?”

I didn’t know June was aware of anything between Ripley and me. Not having any clue how much she knows, I try to play it cool and respond, “What do you mean?”

“You know damn well what I mean. You popped her cherry all those years ago and you’ve been dragging her along ever since. She loves you. She always has. If you don’t feel the same, you need to let her go. I won’t let her waste her life pining after a man who’s unattainable.”

“You don’t know anything about us. Not to be a dick, but I’m fucking thirty-three, June. I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“I don’t care how old you are. You’ve been jerking my daughter around for over a decade. Shit or get off the pot, Quincy. At a minimum, you must care about her as a person. If you’re not looking to see this through, cut her loose. It’s not fair to her otherwise.”

I briefly close my eyes, tormented by her words.

She gives me a look of surprise. “Youdolove her. I didn’t think you did, but I was wrong. It’s written all over your face.”

Tightening my jaw, I spit out, “I never said that.”

“I know you don’t want a family and that’s the biggest obstacle. I imagine you know nothing of my past, few people do, but I won’t see her suffer the same fate. A lifetime of loneliness. Do you want her to end up like me? Hopping from man to man because I can’t have the one I truly want. Closing my heart off to the possibility of love so I never have to feel the pain I once felt. Cut her loose. It’s time. If you truly love her, give her a fighting chance to find what she’s looking for while she’s still young.”

“I…I can’t seem to let go.”

“You’re a selfish prick. You don’t deserve her.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

RIPLEY

After two grueling playoff matchups, the Anacondas have advanced to the championship series against the team from Miami. The Cougars are in the World Series. Philly is electric with excitement. There’s already talk about joint victory parades and parties. I hope both teams are able to deliver.

The Cougars play a home game tonight, but we’re down in Miami. We’re tied at two games apiece in the best-of-five series. Tonight decides everything.

We’re up by one run going into the last inning. We secured the first two outs quickly, one via strikeout and one on an amazing diving play by Bailey. I don’t have my best stuff tonight. I’m distracted. I’m more than several weeks late for my period at this point, and I’m freaking out. I know I should take a test, but I can’t seem to muster up the courage to do it. Uncertainty is better than what I imagine will be my reality.

I walk the next batter, which is fairly unusual for me. Arizona calls a timeout. She walks to the mound. “Everything good? Your rise stopped rising and your curve stopped curving two batters ago.”

I sigh. “I know. I feel a little off.”

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