Falling - On the Banks of Lake Saint Clare (Falling - Book One) (37 page)

“Just ignore him.”

I couldn’t stop watching him. He walked over to my Dad and said something to him, still not taking his eyes off me. Oh my Gosh, please don’t tell him I’m here. I moved around the corner hoping that I was out of sight.

“Let’s go this way.” I said to Erica.

“Why the long way?”
S
he asked, sounding like I was putting her out.

“It’s 20 extra steps. This way I don’t have to be watched by him.”

“He probably didn’t even see you
.
”

“I know he was watching me, Erica.”

“I’m starting to wonder if your obsession with him is going to end up being stronger than the one he has on you.”

As much as I hated what she said, I thought it might end up being the truth. “He’s on my mind all the time,” I said. “I
can’t
ever clear my mind of him.”

“I know what you mean,” she said
,
walking toward the stands.

I felt my phone vibrate and saw a text from my mom.

Mom: I am sorry you are having a bad day. I love you

I wanted to text her saying you love me
be
cause you don’t think I am at the game, but instead I just texted “Ditto”

I knew my grandparents weren’t going to be back till late tomorrow and wondered if Mom was going to go back home like I accused her. I wondered if she even thought about me being at home at the cabin alone. I had to find out.

Alex: Are you going to be late coming back to the cabin?

Mom: Ill call you later

Well, that answered my question. Talking later always meant bad news or she was going to try to figure a way to sugarcoat the topic. I thought about all the We-will-talk-later-conversations. They usually involved things like Rachel is getting her room decorated and there will be some changes. We will talk later. Rachel is going to go on a dance cruise that will cost so much money we can’t do the family vacation we had planned. We will talk later.

I couldn’t believe how boring the game was. It was a slaughter. They even sat Michael out so he would be rested to pitch the championship game. I saw him in the dug out
,
lying down on the bench
,
watching the game. I was nervous the entire time that my mom would happen to wonder over and see me sitting there. I was surprised she didn’t. But I had never disobeyed her in my life. I never gave her any reason to not trust me. Rachel always sneaked out of the house. She had called plenty of times wasted and needing a ride home. They would ground her for a week and 12 hours later Dad would say she learned her lesson. I remember when she was fifteen she sneaked out, stole the car and ended up running out of gas
.
Dad even apologized for not having enough gas in the car. Why was all this bothering me now and didn’t then? All I wanted to do was go to
the
baseball game and Mom acts like I asked “could
you
please murder my father?”

“What are you all planning after the game?” Michael’s Mom asked . “It’s almost over, thank the lord!”

“We don’t have any plans that I know of. We never plan anything. We just seem to do whatever comes up. I’ll ask Michael after he wakes up,” I laughed. “I bet it’s driving him crazy not playing. Has he ever sat out a game?”

“Not that I can recall,” she smiled. “And it’s over. I guess I have to lie and say he played a good game?”

“Derek played a good game. Michael can live without a compliment for once.”

“Good point,” she said. “Here they come.”

“That was brutal,” Michael
,
said walking over to me and hugging me. “Uhhh! I almost napped.”

“I thought you might be dozing off in the dugout. Ok, I need to get out of here before my family sees me. What are we doing?”

“Mom? Dinner?” Michael looked over at Jaclyn.
             
“Of course. Where you want to meet us?”

“We will follow. I’ll grab the love birds,” he said
,
seeing
Kaitlyn
and Derek on the bleachers talking. “Hey! Let’s go!”

“Erica, are you going with us?” I asked.

She looked at the other field, “I think I’ll watch the team. I miss them. I’ll text you who wins.”

We climbed into the car. Michael looked over at me, “How’s my girl?”

“She’s good,” I smiled.

He turned the car on and pulled out of the parking lot, resting his hand on my thigh.

“Was that a disaster or what?” Derek laughed. “I was on 2
nd
base picking up flowers off the field like we did in tee ball. Oh, here,” he handed
Kaitlyn
a dandelion from his shirt pocket.

“Ohhh!”
S
he said, doing a pouty
-
face. “Alex, look.”

I turned around and saw this limp dandelion that had been half crushed in his pocket
,
but knew it was like her getting 6 dozen roses.

“How romantic,” I smiled. “Drive by the other field so I can see the score board. I want to know if you might be playing your old team tomorrow.”

“Fudge! They are ahead by 8. I bet you do
,
” I sighed. “I hate this day so much.”

“Thanks a lot,” ’Michael squeezed my leg
.
“I’m taking you to dinner and I will let you have your way with me later if you want. I even smell good after a game. So I don’t know what your deal is,
”
he winked.

“How about my day sucked until 2 minutes ago.”

Michael snapped his fingers and started speaking in a ghetto woman’s voice. “Better. Where did my man go? I swear if he thinks he’s going to slip out on buying me dinner, he’s on the curb. That’s right sister, I am kicking him to the curb.”

I heard
Kaitlyn
laughing.

“He’s very talented with impersonations,” Derek said. “He called me on the phone one day and repeated my voice message to me. I was like what the fuck? I hung up and he did it again. I thought my phone was messing up on me.”

“Tell her how many calls it took before you figured it out?”

“I know it was at least 6.”

“
1
8,” Michael bragged. “I called him 18 times and I was even laughing during the message and he still thought it was his voice mail. What a dumb ass,” Michael laughed. “With love,
my brothah!”

Derek smiled and shook his head, “
W
ith love,” he laughed.

“Awe, there they are. Thought he could outwit this guy. Uh hum.”

“You crack me up,” I laughed. “You look so macho but you can be such a geek.”

“Oh
,
I will show you macho. I will have you screaming from all the macho. Let’s switch spots with Derek and
Kaitlyn
and I will macho you till you can’t walk. A
h,
Sweet! They are going to
do Chinese
. My favorite!” He sang.

“Why are you in such a good mood,” I smiled, as we pulled into the parking lot. Derek and
Kaitlyn
climbed out, but Michael grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes.

“Let’s just tell them what we want to eat and make out. Hum?”

“Nice try,” I smiled, feeling my heart pounding as he looked at me.

He leaned over and kissed me, “I am in a good mood because I am in love with you.”

“I think I might be liking you a little, too,” I laughed.

We made our way thru the restaurant and all sat down.

“Well,” Michael looked around the table, “aren’t we quite a little diverse
d
group here?

You think anyone has noticed?”

I glanced around and saw the freak stare going on. “I am not so sure that it’s the diversity or that you and Derek are just flat out freaks.”

“Ouch,” Derek said. “What did I do to deserve that?”

I felt my phone vibrate and saw a text from Mom.
Mom: when you have time, give me a call.

I excused myself and walked into the hallway. I wasn’t really in the mood to talk
,
but I needed to know where I was supposed to go later that night.

“Hi,” I said when she answered.

“Are you better now?”
S
he asked.

“I am just super. How was the game?”

“
It’s not over
,
but we are so far ahead they can pretty much call it.
They are in the championship game. We are very excited.”

“Tell the team congratulations for me,” Knowing dad always bought victory pizza when they won.

“I will.”

There was silence. It felt like I was talking to a stranger. Not my mom.

“So just give it to me straight, Mom. I am big enough to handle it
.
A
re you coming back to the cabin?”

“I don’t think so. We are seeing if we can work things out and me being away just won’t help things. But that does not mean I do not love you.”

I wanted to say that it just means she loves him more, but I couldn’t.

“I understand, Mom. I’d probably pick Michael over you if I had to choose right now.”

I instantly wish I could have taken it back. It just slipped out.

“I didn’t mean it like it sounded, Mom,” I tried some damage control. “I meant that right now Michael is less chaotic than you. I don’t have to ask what he’s doing and thinking. I just know he will be there unconditionally.”

“Alex you have known Michael for how many months? Of course he is going to be there for you because right now it’s easy. There are no problems, just you two thinking you are in love. When you have been with someone for 20 years
,
then you can lecture me on how I am messed up.”

“I wasn’t aware I was lecturing you.” I walked outside, knowing that I was going to get too loud for the hallway
.
“And you think that we have had it all easy? Do you not remember what all
we
have gone through lately? Rachel has a zit and Dad is calling the Mayo clinic to get her an appointment
.
I almost get killed and he not once asked if I needed anything. I bet he never was at the hospital one time, was he?”

She didn’t answer.

“I’ve got to go. I have people waiting at the table for me. Tell Coach Dillard good luck tomorrow night.”

I sat down on the bench outside a
n
d tried to get my head clear so I could go back inside.

“Hey, my lovely girlfriend,” Michael sat down beside me. “What are you doing out here?”

“I was talking to my mom.”

“H
m
m, not good, I take it.”

“Why would it be,” I said, leaning my head against his arm. “I am so hungry. Can you hear my tummy growl?”

“So you don’t want to talk about it?”

I shook my head.

He rubbed my leg, “Later, OK?”

“Yeah,” I sighed.

I sat down at the table and
heard Jack
telling one of his many stories about Michael and Derek. “The guy was mouthing Derek, trying to get him to scrap, but he just stood there.
The guy
was bouncing around him like he was Sugar Ray Leonard, doing fake jabs and all this fancy footwork. Michael was standing there smiling, very amused by it all. I’m sure you know the smile, Alex
.
After almost five minutes of this guy prancing around, Derek reached out and thumped him on the forehead. Just thumped him with his fingers like this,” he demonstrated on Derek.

“Owe,” Derek said
,
rubbing his head. “That does hurt.”

Jack laughed, “Well it made the guy instantly stop dancing. He said Derek didn’t fight fair and walked off. It wasn’t even a fight. It was a thump like this,”
h
e thumped Derek again.

“Owe, this is child abuse,” he laughed.

“Why do guys try to fight you two all the time?”
Kaitlyn
asked. “I have heard four stories now of guys picking fights with you.”

“Beats me,” Derek said. “I guess they think that we will back down
and then they will feel tougher
. I guess it would be more impressive beating up a six foot
something
guy than to beat up a
five-foot
guy. Maybe for bragging
or a power-trip
?
”

“He’s so smart,”
Kaitlyn
sighed.

I saw Michael smile and he touched my thigh.

I felt my phone vibrate.