The Game Changer The Final Score - By L.M. Trio Page 0,16
like I don’t know him at all anymore. It annoys me when I watch him walk in… happy, cheery and optimistic. Especially if JJ is the reason he’s happy, cheery and optimistic. Everyone loves when Mikey comes home. Even my mom gets a look of relief on her face when he walks through the door. Good ole Mikey.
Mikey gives us an update on his promotion to the Triple A Durham Bulls. I sincerely can’t help being happy for him. It’s the one thing I’m honest about. There is no jealously where baseball is concerned. There is nothing I want more than to see him succeed. He’s worked hard for it, he earned it. I respect him for that. No one knows more than me how much time is dedicated to get to where he is.
“Yo, bud, ya want to go hit some balls down at the field?” he asks.
“Yeah sure, give me sec. I got to check in,” I answer, picking up my cell to put the call in that I’m heading out. I have permission to leave my home as long as I stay in a specific radius of the house.
We grab our bags and a bucket of balls just like old times and head down to the field. I practice my pitching, while Mikey catches. Instantly, we get back to our usual rhythm as if no time has passed between us.
“Yo, man, you are throwin’ some heat. You haven’t missed a beat. Your fastballs gotta be clockin’ bout 96-98. Your power breakin’ ball is devastating. You still got all that nasty stuff goin’ on.”
“Thanks, man. It feels good, I guess,” I say with a bit of hesitance. Being on the field with Mikey, practicing like we used to, makes me forget all of my issues. Things just seem to click and it gets my adrenaline kicked up in full gear.
“Let me try hittin’ a few,” he says excitedly, grabbing his bat from the bag.
I pitch while he swings away. “You’re hittin them!” I holler out, watching as one soars across the sky, finally landing somewhere in the football field.
“Yeah, well, that’s ‘cause I know you. I know what you’re gonna throw, and… I’m strugglin’ right now. I’m telling you, man, seriously, there isn’t anyone throwin’ what you’re throwin’ out there. I’ve faced a lot of guys over the last couple years. You’ve got it all over them.”
The compliment makes me smile, the first real smile in a long time. We continue to take turns, hitting, catching, and throwing the ball around; taking and offering advice to each other just like old times. When the sun begins to set, we finally realize how much time has passed.
“Yo, I better get back. I turn into a pumpkin if I’m not home by a certain time,” I tease, hating that we have to end our fun.
“Then we better get goin’,” Mikey agrees as he tosses the loose balls into the bucket.
As we walk the familiar route back to our house, Mikey mentions something about his stopover in Florida, which in turn, sends me back to what’s now becoming my normal crappy self. For some reason, the good times don’t last for long.
“Why did you say you had to stopover in Florida, again?” I question in my Mr. Hyde voice.
Mikey looks at me in a funny way, the tone of my voice catching him off guard. I’m sure he’s wondering what brought on the sudden mood change.
“I hadn’t been home since April and I had to check on a few things,” he says casually, shrugging his shoulders.
“I’ll bet. Check on a few things,” I reply sarcastically with a cynical laugh.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He laughs, shrugging off my sarcasm.
“Check on a few things or check on someone?” I ask, not bothering to hide my sudden aggression towards him.
“Luke, if you want to ask me somethin’, go ahead. What’s on your mind?” He stands in front of me, blocking me from moving forward, forcing me to stop while he stares me in the eyes.
“Are you fuckin’ her?!” I blurt out angrily, glaring back.
“You know who. Don’t fuck with me, be honest!” I shout as we stand at the end of the street. My anger gets the best of me as we stand face-to-face. I know I crossed the line as soon as the words spill from my mouth.
“I’m not even goin’ to answer that. Just because you’ve been living with a bunch of fuckin’ animals