“It’s not that.” I laughed slightly as I stared at my feet. “Look over at the bleachers.”
“Why?”
“Look who just showed up.” I smiled as I pointed over to Allison. “My God she looks good.”
“Oh she came home early.” Maureen sighed and then snapped back into her coach mode. “No time for that. Just don’t look over there.”
“I can’t help it.” I pouted. “It has been a long time.”
“Let me put it to you this way.” Maureen spoke carefully. “Two more outs and you are that much closer to taking her home.”
“Get your ass back on first base.” I ordered her firmly. Maureen ran back to first and I threw out my next pitch. A swing and a miss. The next batter went down in flames. Three pitches and three strikes. What can I say? I was suddenly motivated. Maureen ran over and hugged me. I started to head towards the bleachers when Maureen grabbed me.
“Not so fast hot stuff.” She tugged my shirt. “You are up. Remember?” Reluctantly I tossed my glove in our dugout and grabbed my bat. Once the warm up was completed I turned to Maureen. “We are not going into overtime.” I spat out as she laughed. I stomped over to home plate like a woman on a mission. The first pitch was perfect. I knew the moment the bat made contact with the ball that my prediction had been accurate. I flung my bat to the ground and rounded the bases with ease. Once I crossed over home plate my teammates surrounded me. I knew they were happy but I had other things on my mind as I tried to pull myself away from the celebration.
I looked for her in the crowd until I found her carefully putting my gear together in the dugout she stepped out onto the field with my equipment bags tossed over her shoulder. I pushed my way over to her and without saying a word and not caring who was watching, I reached up and pulled her to me. We greeted one another without words as our lips met and we kissed deeply.
Once the need to breath overwhelmed us we parted. I reached down and tugged on her belt and pulled her to me. “Let’s go home.” Was all I said. She nodded in agreement with a misty eyed look.
EPILOGUE
Well that is it. That is how my journey began and ended well not quite how it ended. It is now a year later. September in fact and classes are starting in a few days. I find myself standing on the pitchers mound once again. This time at the end of the season in the championship game. I feel good we are one strike away from walking away with the title for the first time. But it is not the game that is making me smile. It is one face looking out from the crowd. I smile in her direction and then turn my attention back to the task at hand. I know the instant the ball leaves my hand how good it is. The batter swings and misses. We win. My teammates already know I won’t be joining them for the celebration. I need to get my girl home.
You see yesterday we found out that she was carrying twins. Of course we already suspected that. Gaia told us last year. Even though she left us months ago before Allison got pregnant we can still feel her with us. Oh and if you are wondering it was window-shopping. Allison and I had been walking around Boston. For some reason we found ourselves standing in front of Maternity shop holding hands and watching the people inside. Without speaking we knew what we wanted. What we wanted was to complete our family.
Soon we will. I just wished that Gaia had warned me what life going to be like with a very pregnant Allison. It doesn’t matter I would have found my way to her and our children anyway. It is where I belong. It is my home.
The End
Although Stephan James Ballister, Haley Ballister and Anna Moorehouse are fictional. The Louisiana Tigers Company B was quite real. All references other than those involving fictional characters are accurate (Such as dates and battles the company was involved with). The company consisted mostly of foreigners and right or wrong the members of the company received an unfavorable reputation. The Louisiana Tigers were also known as the River Rats. Two of their members O’Brien and Corcoran the first members of the Confederacy to be executed by the Confederacy. My apologies if anyone takes offense to my story suggesting that a member of the company was a woman. Although there were several woman who were involved with the American Civil War, some openly as female and some disguised as men. There is no evidence to support the claim that any member of Company B was female. So all of you nice folks down south just keep repeating “Well what did you expect she’s from Boston. Damn Yankees!” Of course when we say that here we are talking about Baseball. F.Y. I Company B is still active today. If you would like more information check your local library or on line. Hey I did my own research so can you. :)