An Unexpected Family Pt. 02

All Rights Reserved 2019

Part 2

Chapter 45

When Jack took off his jersey in the locker room, it hurt... Really hurt. He moaned his disapproval as he peeled the jersey from his shoulders after the third game of the series with the Rangers.

Standing, waiting for the shirt to come off, were Karen Parsons, the team trainer, and Bill Ocher. Clyde and other players were watching, too. When Jack released the shirt from his body...

"Damn, Jack," Clyde mumbled.

"Jeez," the other players sighed, in unison.

"It's bruised, Jack. I can see the seams on your skin. Bill, I'm going to want x-rays to see if any ribs are broken. He's lucky he turned his back to the pitch," Karen insisted.

Bill nodded.

Jack turned to Bill and said, "Like I said... It wasn't on purpose. He lost control and it hit me. You know McNulty has control problems."

Bill nodded again. "The last thing I need are broken ribs," he barked. "You're leading this team to the playoffs. I lose you, and our momentum could fall apart. No playoffs. Karen, I want the report as soon as you get it."

Karen nodded and led Jack to the medical facilities at Globe Life Park.

Jack had been plunked in the back by Sean McNulty in the 8th inning. The pitch had been clocked at 101 miles per hour and sent Jack down to one knee. He had to balance himself on his bat. It hurt... Knocked the breath out him. For a moment or two, he thought he would suffocate.For a m

His teammates left the dugout expecting a fight, but Jack waved them off, while still on his knee. When Ocher ran out of the dugout to home plate to check on him, Jack said, "It wasn't on purpose. Tell 'em."

Karen knelt to help him to his feet. "Tell me you want out and it will happen," she offered. "It was 101 miles per hour."

Jack shook her off. He dropped his bat, stood without her help, swayed his back left, then right. Bent at his knees. Then sprinted to first base.

The crowd applauded their approval. When McNulty looked at Jack on first, Jack tipped his helmet.

Class.

The Royals won... 4-1

Chapter 46

Jack entered his room, having gone to IHOP and met some of his teammates.

He was sore. No broken ribs, which Bill Ocher was visibly relieved when Karen reported the results. Karen wrapped his chest with an ace bandage and ice pack on the bruise. Per Karen's directions, he was to take four ibuprofen for the pain and swelling and report to the locker room the next day at 2:30 pm sharp. He was not to take the ice pack off until it melted and became warm. Sleep with it, she said.

When Bérénice heard the door open, she leapt from bed in her satin pajamas.

"Jack... I saw what happened. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. A little sore. It's just a bruise," he replied.

"You didn't look OK when you came out to first base in the bottom of the 8th and 9th. You kept fidgeting with your back. Stretching," Bérénice offered, with concern in her tone.

Jack paused to consider her comments. He just realized this was the first time he had come in from a game and someone was concerned about his well-being since his mother in high school. He smiled a gentle smile with his thought.

"What?" Bérénice chirped.

Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts. "You're beautiful. I like your pajamas. They're cute."

Bérénice grinned, then smiled. "Thank you. But your back? What can I do?"

"Nothing," he mused, as he began undressing. He took off his coat and hung it up... gingerly. He walked over to the chair, sat, and took off his shoes and socks and placed them in the closet. He took off his trousers and hung them. Then... he unbuttoned his dress shirt and slowly revealed to Bérénice he had a bandage around his chest.

"That doesn't look fine to me," she growled, with crossed arms.

Jack smiled, hung up his shirt and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Bérénice followed him inside.

"That ice pack on your ribs says it's not fine," she asserted.

"My ribs are not broken. Made of steel... you know, Superman."

"You're not funny, Jack," she offered sternly with crossed arms.

After brushing his teeth and rinsing, he turned to Bérénice and leaned against the countertop. "Karen says they're not broken. I had an x-ray. It's just a bad bruise. She wants me at the locker room at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon to check me out. I have to sleep with this pack tonight and take four ibuprofen before bed. She gave them to me. They're in my coat pocket."

Bérénice turned out of the bathroom to get the pills. When she returned, she said, "Who is this Karen? She seems to have control over you and I want to meet her," she said, with a sassy tone, followed with a giggle.

Chapter 47

Jack woke feeling like someone had struck him in the right side of his back with a sledge hammer. Although he wanted to moan, he didn't want to concern Bérénice with the pain he was feeling. He sucked it up and rose to the side of his bed without an utterance. He looked around and Bérénice was nowhere to be found.

Then, he let out a groan that could be heard in Ellis County, 50 miles away. He stretched his arms, back, and hip muscles. Painfully sore.

He thought back to the previous night.

He and Bérénice crawled into bed and she held him close... like she needed him to breathe air. He held her close and kissed her forehead. She pushed him over onto his back and began kissing him, despite the extreme soreness in his back. She pressed her breasts into his chest. He was beginning to enjoy her kissing. She was good. He pushed her over and brought her close into a cuddle. A spoon. He on his left to avoid the ice pack on his right. She took his right hand, brought it under her pajama top, and placed it on her left breast. His large hand smothered her C cup breast. She brought her right hand over his and held him in place. She hummed her satisfaction. He moaned his. Then... he fell asleep holding her warmth in his hands.

After stretching the soreness, he walked to the bathroom to take care of business. When he exited the bathroom, he heard someone jiggling the lock on the door.

Bérénice entered the room smiling like it was the first time she had seen him in years. In her arms was take out from IHOP.

"Well? You seemed to sleep well. How did it go?" she offered, while she slipped past him and went to the table with the food.

Jack followed her to the table and was about to reply when she grasped the back of his head and pulled him close to her lips without touching. "Will you break if I kiss you?" she giggled.

Jack shook his head with a smile.

Bérénice pulled him to her lips softly and kissed him. Jack returned her kiss. A moment or two later, she probed his lips with her tongue, seeking a response. Jack responded favorably with his own soft touch of his tongue.

Bérénice broke the kiss, but kept her lips close to his as she read his mind through his eyes. "I love you. Are you still sore?" she asked.

He nodded. "I love you, too. Very much. Sore? Yeah, a lot."

"When I take the bandage and pack off, I'll kiss it better, OK?" she giggled.

"OK," Jack replied.

They ate the scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, toast, biscuits and gravy, orange juice, and coffee. Bérénice did her best to get Jack to laugh, which hurt when he laughed.

"OK," she offered, when they finished eating. "Let's see this alleged bruise."

She knelt at his feet and began unwrapping the bandage around his chest and back. "Stand up and turn around," she ordered, as she pulled the bandage and pack from his body.

"Jack!" she gasped. "There are baseball seam marks on your back! And your skin is purple! The size much larger than a baseball!"

"Do you think it will be permanent?" he chuckled. "Something to remember for my career?"

"Smartass!" she growled. With that, she pressed softly on the bruise eliciting a yelp from his mouth and a "I can't believe you just did that" frown in return.

"That is not the 'kiss it better' kiss I was expecting!" he growled.

She arched an eyebrow in response and whispered, "I love you."

With that, she pulled him into her lips for another kiss.

"Better?"

Chapter 48

Their follow up kiss was interrupted by a knock at Jack's door. Bérénice tried to break the kiss, but Jack held their kiss a few seconds more.

"It wasn't better, yet," he whispered, as he released her with a wide grin.

He reached inside a drawer and put on some cargo shorts and answered the door. He had no shirt on.

"Jack!" came the feminine voice from the hallway. "I have things I need to do this afternoon. I want to see your back. May I come in?"

"Of course, Karen... Come in, please."

As Karen entered Jack's room, she noticed Bérénice across the room. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?" Karen offered.

"No... Karen, this is my sister in law, Bérénice Caron. Bérénice, this is Karen Parsons, the team trainer. I mentioned her last night when I came in."

Standing before Bérénice was a very pretty African American woman dressed in blue Bermuda shorts, a Royals polo shirt with her name embroidered on the upper left breast, and white athletic shoes. She was carrying a small royal blue bag. Her hair was cut very short, almost masculine like, and her eyes were an exotic brown color. She was about 5 feet 10 inches tall and had an athletic build, where Bérénice thought she may have played basketball or soccer in college. When she was introduced to Bérénice, her brilliant white teeth lit up the room.

Karen set her bag down on the bed and crossed the room to greet Bérénice. "I'm sorry, Bérénice. I didn't know Jack had a guest." She shook Bérénice's hand and went to work. "This will take only a bit. I'll be gone in a minute or two," she offered, as she turned her attention to Jack.

"Sore this morning, Jack?"

"Very."

"Turn around and let me see," Karen ordered. As Jack turned around, Karen's eyes went straight to his athletic ass. She looked over her shoulder to Bérénice and wiggled an eyebrow with a smile. "That's a nice one, Jack," she offered, and wiggled her eyebrow again to Bérénice. Bérénice saw what Karen was doing to her brother in law and giggled softly.

Karen then went into business mode. "OK, Jack. You've got a nice little bruise there. Now, face me. You do the same motion I do and tell me the pain level from one to ten... ten being the most painful."

"Got it."

Karen had Jack perform several motions and the highest pain level he achieved was a five, while swinging with a bat motion.

"Jack, I know you like arriving at the ballpark in a business suit. Not today. Shorts and a t-shirt today. I'm wrapping you up in ice again and I'll take it off before warm ups today. I have the wrap and ice pack in my bag."

As she was wrapping Jack into his ice pack, Karen found out Bérénice was the wife of Jack's recently decreased brother. She offered her condolences, helped Jack into his t-shirt, gave him more ibuprofen, and said goodbye to them both.

"I like her. She cares about you, Jack."

Chapter 49

Jack sat down at the table after Karen left.

He looked to Bérénice and smiled. "Bérénice, I've never been so happy as I am, right this moment. You and I alone. Knowing you, John, Patrice, and Amélie will be with me."

Bérénice sat at the table across from him and took his hand. "I'm looking forward to Kansas City, Jack." She paused. "I've been thinking about your idea... About buying a house for us." She paused again to gauge his reaction. "If you want to buy a house for us, then OK. But, if you're interested, we can move into your house. You said yourself, it will just be until the end of the season. No need to buy a house if you leave Kansas City for another team. I know I want to be with you. To greet you when you come home. To share you with my children."

Jack smiled and nodded his approval. "OK." He became a little emotional.

"OK," he repeated. "Come to my house."

Bérénice rose from her chair and sat in his lap with her arm around his neck.

"We love each other, Jack. Unless you want it, we can skip the formalities. I believe there will be a time in our future where we want to marry each other. To have children of our own." She paused and looked deeply into his eyes. "I want to share your bed, if you'll let me."

Jack nodded his approval again. "I just thought you wanted to be courted. To have some romance."

"Jack," she began. "You, Robert, and I have a romance. It hasn't left for me. And I don't think it has left for you, either. I love you as much as I love Robert. I love you for who you are. I'm in love with you right now."

Jack nodded his agreement. "I love you so much, Bérénice." He kissed her and hugged her like he had never hugged her before.

"OK... Business and plans. Last night was our last night together. The team leaves immediately after the game tonight for Minneapolis... afternoon game tomorrow, then Chicago with the White Sox. I won't be back in Kansas City for a week. When you are ready to move to Kansas City, call me. We'll talk and make arrangements and details. You will know where I am by looking online for the Royals' schedule. I will need lots of phone calls from you and video calls from John, Patrice, and Amélie while I'm on the road."

Bérénice kissed Jack. She kissed him hard; like she would never kiss him again.

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you, Bérénice."

Chapter 50

Bérénice and Jack were in the lobby, having just left the elevator, when a young man approached them.

"Here's the pass you requested, Mr. Caron," he said, as he offered the card and neck lanyard. "How's the back? We need you tonight."

"Thank you, Gabriel. The back? It's fine. I'll be out there like nothing ever happened," Jack barked.

"Great! Look... the bus is loading now. You better move it along. I'll see you at the stadium."

Jack turned to Bérénice and handed her the pass. She accepted it with a furled brow.

"What's this?" she asked, as she look back to Jack's smiling face.

"It's a pass to one of the suites at the ballpark. Some of the wives and girlfriends will be there. And... they know you're coming. Take a taxi to the ballpark. When you present the pass, an usher will escort you to the suite, just like the other night," Jack replied, with an eyebrow arched.

"But, Jack... I... don't know them. It will be awkward," she sighed.

"Nope. It won't. Morgan Lancaster, Trey's wife, is flying in this afternoon, just to see you. She told me she's dying to meet you. Trey and Morgan live in Lees Summit also, and they have three small children, just like you. I don't know anyone who doesn't think Morgan is the greatest person ever. She's going to love you. She will introduce you to everyone. You'll have fun, I promise."

Bérénice was stunned. She didn't know what to say. Jack was expecting a comment.

"It's OK, right? You said you wanted to move to Kansas City soon, right? I called Trey and Morgan so you would have a friend when you arrived. Morgan is a stay at home mom and Trey is a junior executive with the Royals," Jack offered, nodding and hopeful Bérénice would agree.

Bérénice nodded her approval, took Jack by the neck and pulled him in for a kiss. I juicy one at that. A moment or two later, whistles and catcalls erupted from the lobby. Teammates.

"Jack! We do have a game to play tonight! The bus is leaving! We don't want to see you chasing the bus now, do we?"

Bérénice released Jack from her kiss and whispered a thank you.

"Gotta go. After the game, Morgan will bring you to the locker room before we leave for Minneapolis. I want to see you before I leave. She'll make sure you return to the hotel safely, too. I told the hotel staff you were in my room and checkout is 11 am," he said as he nodded. "You make me have a hard time concentrating on baseball, Bérénice. I'm excited about our prospects."

He set his bags down and embraced her. Then, he kissed her and hugged her closely, for nearly a minute. As he turned to leave, he winked, grabbed his bags and waved. "I love you."

Bérénice followed him to the bus and gave him another kiss before he boarded the bus. She waved as the bus pulled away and mouthed the words...

"I love you."

Chapter 51

"Jack! You told me that woman was your sister in law. Do you treat all of your sister in laws like that?"

Jack laughed as he plopped down into the seat next to Mitchell Elliot. Jack looked out the window and waved to Bérénice as the bus was pulling away from the hotel.

"She is my sister in law," Jack mused. "The only one I have. Last night and this morning, we had a talk. I think we are boyfriend and girlfriend, now."

"Ooooo, so that's why you molested her in the lobby," Mitchell shot back.

*****

Bérénice arrived at the suite for the 6 pm game against the Rangers. The last game of the series.

"Here we are, Mrs. Caron. Again, my name is Allison and I will be serving this suite for tonight's game. I will be in and out all night to see to your needs."

With that, Allison opened the door to the suite and led Bérénice inside.

"Bérénice! Come in here, Sweetie!"

Bérénice saw a short blond, with brown eyes, smiling widely and rapidly approaching her as she entered the suite.

"My name is Morgan Lancaster. I was thrilled when Jack called. He told us you two are going to make a go of it. That's so exciting." Morgan reached to hug her new friend.

"Thank you, Morgan," Bérénice said as she released her from the hug. "Yes, Jack and I are... well, we're going to try."

"Come on. Let me introduce you to the girls."

The wives and girlfriends squealed when they were told Bérénice had landed Jack Caron. After the introductions, Heather Stone, caught Bérénice alone for a moment.

"Bérénice, girl. You don't know how lucky are. Nearly every girlfriend of the players thought twice about dumping their man and pursuing Jack. A couple of wives, too. He's the hottest player on the team. Women couldn't believe their eyes when he showed up after last season. Everywhere he goes, women throw themselves at him. And, he is so polite and courteous. Charming, too." She paused and leaned in to whisper, "The girls in Kansas City will be weeping after tonight. Sit next to me. I want to know everything about you two."

By the end of the 2nd inning, Bérénice had finished the story of her life with Robert and Jack Caron. There wasn't a dry eye in the suite and every woman wanted to hug her.

Chapter 52

Jack was on first base having been walked in the 4th inning. He had grounded out in the 1st inning. The count was 1-1 to Malone and 1 out. The game was scoreless.

He looked to the third base coach for the sign. Steal... Hit and run steal.

I got this. I already have him figured on his stretch, he thought.

Jack took his normal leadoff. Just before he knew Nagumo was about to pitch, Jack broke for second base... head down... sprinting like a jackrabbit. Nagumo panicked and threw the ball to first base.

Dip shit, Jack thought, as he slid feet first into second, popping to his feet to find the ball still in the first baseman's glove.

The girls in the suite were screaming for Jack.

The first baseman casually lobbed the ball back to Nagumo. Jack didn't waste the opportunity. As soon as the first baseman released the ball, Jack sprinted for third base.

They're both going to Triple A after this one, Jack thought, as he slid into third base unmolested. Nagumo still had the ball in his hand.

Bérénice couldn't believe her eyes, while the girls in the suite were high fiving each other and screaming. Jack had stolen two bases without a pitch being thrown, she thought. The home crowd was voicing its displeasure with boos.

Jack dusted himself off and took a short, cautious lead off third base. He's pissed. Good, Jack thought, after Nagumo stared him down before approaching the rubber. Jack checked the position of the third baseman... Deep and far from the base.