Page 135 of Spotlight
I go through my normal routine, but I take more time with each step. When the Renegades filter out to the dugout, I stare at them across the field. My gut clenches.
“Holland!” Coach Wayne hollers my name as he walks out onto the field.
I pull my gaze from the other team and start toward him. He walks with both hands on his hips and his jaw working fast on a piece of gum.
“Last-minute change to the lineup,” he says when he gets close. “Freddie is starting today. New York doesn’t want to go up against their new superstar pitcher.”
A wave of disappointment washes over me.
“Seriously?”
He gives me a solemn nod, then calls out to Freddie who’s warming up nearby. “Jones, you’re up tonight.”
Freddie glances to me first before he dips his chin. “Got it.”
* * *
Olivia and Greer arrive early to the game and Earl brings them down to the field.
“Hi!” Olivia smiles as I approach them. Fuck, after the morning I’ve had, it feels so good to see them. Unfortunately, only one of them looks happy to see me.
Greer stares at her feet, holding a piece of paper in front of her in one hand. The stuffed horse I gave her is in the other.
“We wanted to wish you luck on your last game as a Mustang,” Olivia says, then looks to her daughter. “Didn’t we?”
Greer says nothing and won’t look up either.
“Sorry,” Olivia mouths.
I squat down in front of Greer. Her big, green eyes are filled with tears. My heart cracks wide open.
“Hey, munchkin,” I say, smiling at her.
Olivia and I told her last night. At first, she seemed pretty chill about it, until she started asking questions about when she’d be able to watch me pitch again and how often we would be able to get ice cream together or finally play Monopoly. To be fair, I didn’t like the answers to those questions any more than she did.
“Hey, Hotshot.” Her little voice is small and not filled with any of her usual excitement or sass.
“Excited to watch the game today?” I ask.
She nods politely. “I made you a picture.”
“You did?” I ask as she holds it out to me. It’s a picture of me in my baseball uniform. This time she used the Renegade red instead of Mustang blue. And written above it says,Good Luck, Hotshot.
“I love it. Thank you.” The words nearly get stuck in my throat. I hold my arms out and she steps into them.
I lock eyes with Olivia as I hug her daughter. She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye, but she doesn’t stop smiling.
“Mom said I could text you and video chat sometimes,” Greer says.
“I’d love that.” I want to promise her that we’ll see each other, that I’ll be back, or they’ll come see me, but I remember what Knox said—don’t make promises you can’t keep.
“We better get to our seats,” Olivia says, placing her hands on Greer’s shoulders. “Are you still coming over later?”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t miss it.” The worst of the lasts, my last time hanging with them before I leave.
I take my picture from Greer to the locker room. It’s busy, everyone grabbing any last-minute things before we take the field to do our final team warm-up.
JT is sitting on the bench in front of his locker, adjusting his leg guards.
