Page 58 of Break Away
Zoey picked up a daypack that held Lucy’sshirt and bandana, and her to-go gear. With Lucy buckled into theback and Levi in the passenger seat, Zoey drove them over to theball field.
Levi got Lucy out of the car and secured herleash while Zoey retrieved her daypack from the back. She swungdown the hatch and nearly jumped out of her Chucks when she saw thewoman standing directly behind her.
“Excuse me.” Zoey took a cautious step back.It was the woman from the post office, and she looked awful. Herhair was pulled back in a tight bun that emphasized the thinness ofher face, while her application of bright red lipstick hadn’t beenquite accurate, making her lips look too big and contrastingharshly with her pale skin. Her eyes were heavily made up, and whenpaired with the fake eyelashes, made her look more like she wasgoing out to a nightclub than to a morning softball game.
“Are you okay?” Zoey asked.
The woman stared from Zoey to Levi.
“You drove here together.”
Levi stepped forward with Lucy, angling hisbody in front of Zoey. “Charissa, can I call someone for you?”
“You remember my name? Do you remember mefrom that time in Oakland?”
Levi frowned. “Sure I do. Are you here towatch the ballgame?”
“Yes. I want to cheer for you.”
“Ah, thank you. You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” She turned to follow a group ofpeople making their way to the stands.
“What was that about?”
Levi looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure. She’ssomeone who’s always been around. I ran into her once at a gym inOakland. She made a big deal about being from the same small townand meeting in the big city.” He shrugged, but his gaze stayedsharp as he watched the woman’s retreat.
A minivan pulled up beside them. Brad andEmma got out to unload their three kids and gear with practicedease.
“Unca Levi! Unca Levi!” A little girl ofabout three with glossy black curls bounced up and down in herlittle white sandals. “Big dog, Unca Levi!”
“Lucy, sit.” Levi gave the order, and whenthe little girl would have launched herself at the dog, he droppedto one knee to wrap his arm around his niece. “Hold on, Amaya. Youhave to make sure a dog is friendly.” With Amaya’s big green eyeswide, Levi showed her how to hold out her hand for Lucy to sniff.When Lucy licked her fingers, Amaya erupted in giggles.
Happy toddlers were the best thing in theworld.
“Her name is Lucy.” Levi smiled down at theenthralled child.
Amaya wrapped her arms around the dog’s neck,then beamed up at her father. “Her name’s Lucy.”
“So I heard.” Brad leaned down to lift up hisdaughter and set her on his shoulders. A dark-haired boy of aboutfour or five stood beside Emma, who was securing a baby girl in astroller that was packed full of what looked like every kid itemthat could possibly be needed.
Levi glanced inside the car as Brad pressed abutton to slide the door closed. “You sure you didn’t leaveanything? It looks like you’re hauling around enough gear to beready for the apocalypse.”
“Your day will come, brother, so don’t gettoo smug. Let’s go.”
Zoey walked with Levi as Amaya asked withperfect pronunciation, “What’s the apocalypse?”
Once they settled themselves in the bleacherswhere puffy white clouds provided some shade, Levi and Brad leftfor the Guns dugout. Zoey found Lucy’s shirt, which she’d made intoa cape since she hadn’t been able to get the arm holes to work forthe big dog. Wearing her cape, and with the bandana around herneck, Lucy was ready for the day.
Maddy and her twins joined them, and thenDory arrived with her son, Adrian, and a tiny girl with chubbycheeks in a stroller. Trish and Landon were there, plus Levi’sother sister Jenny and her family. The entire group took up most ofthe first three rows. Zoey positioned herself at the end of thefirst row near the gate so she could bring Lucy out for her mascotduties when it was time. She was also saving a seat for Eva, whowas currently working a shift at the concession stand.
People passing them to climb the steps to theseats higher in the bleachers stopped to pet Lucy, who wore a widedoggy grin and greeted them by raising her paw to shake. Theannouncer requested the mascots be brought onto the field, and Levitrotted from the dugout to open the gate for Lucy. A boy of aboutten wearing a fireman’s helmet and a Hoses t-shirt with “Tank Jr.”on the back led out a Dalmatian puppy with a red bandana. The pupwas at the gangly all-legs stage and tripped over itself walkingout onto the field.
The dogs met at home plate and touched noses,then the pup started to dance around Lucy, who ignored him, moreinterested in the ball in Levi’s hand.
Zoey smiled and held out her hand to theyoung boy. “Hi, I’m Zoey and this is Lucy. What’s your name?”
“I’m Marcus. This is my dog. His name’sSparky.”
