Rounding the Bases

"I batted close to .270," I replied, defensive and hurt. Batting .220 or .270 was a batting average, carried out 3 decimal places. So out of 10 at bats, I would get just over 2 hits, or almost 3 hits. Or 22 or 27 hits per 100 at bats. I had 16 hits out of 60 at bats, for an average or .26666666666..., or .267 rounded out to 3 places.

Roger was 100% correct in his assessment of me. But that didn't make ot any easier.

"So far, the Des Moines office has loved the work you have done for THIS TEAM. But THIS TEAM is only a cog in the overall machinery and Chicago is interested in what you can and can't and will and won't do," he scolded me. "Face it, you would have been a solid Double A player, maybe even made it to Triple A like Des Moines, but you never would have made it to the Major League. You didn't have the talent. But," he said, letting that sink in, ready to build me back up I hoped," you have talent here. Doing THIS. Marketing, scouting, analytics. You didn't know WHO you were analyzing but it is YOUR analysis we are using hete today. YOU can do THIS. You were never going to earn a World Series ring as player, but do you see THIS?" Roger showed me his World Series ring he was wearing. I obviously had seen it and many others while working here this year. "I earned it almost as much as the players did. Sure, Montgomery and Arietta and Lester and Rizzo and Bryant were players, but the reason these 24 then 40 guys were together was because of guys like ME." He poked his chest. And then he poked my chest and said, "And YOU."

I wasn't the most talkative guy after that because I was digesting what Roger had said. After the game, he announced that we were going down to the clubhouse to talk to Randy Jenkins, pitcher, who had hit me in the eye with a breaking pitch that didn't break and I didn't move out of the way of.

Roger introduced himself and then me, and Randy looked at me, and tears welling up in his eyes he shook my hand and then pulled me in for a hug.

"Oh my, I had prayed for your recovery and hoped we would get the chance to work together someday. You have no idea how sorry I was! How sorry I am! I was working on a new pitch and...anyway, I hope you can forgive me. I almost gave up the game after that. When I saw you lifeless on the ground..."

"It's okay, Randy. I was mad at you for a long time. Up until about an hour ago. Hated you until...now. Yes, of course you are forgiven. I forgive you, and I hope you can forgive me for harboring such anger towards you," I said. Jade made me feel absolutely wonderful, but forgiving Randy melted an icy wall around my heart that I had been unaware of. And I fully realized that had he not hit me, I would not have met Jade, and I would probably be some bitter guy who would never see my dream as a Big Leage Baseball Player ever come true. From that moment on, I had a new outlook. And a new Bromance had been given life. Randy and I are best friends to this day.

*****************************

I came home after 3 days, rejuvenated, reborn, refreshed. Now hoping for a rerun of our last sexual encounter with Jade. I didn't call her because I wanted to surprise her. I opened the door, and saw her crying on the couch, some dude with his arm over her shoulder.

What the hell?!

I recognized the guy. He was short, built like a fireplug or brick shithouse or whatever analogy you want to use. He was a gymnast who won medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

It was her brother, and he came to tell her that their grandma had passed away. We spent the night comforting Jade. There would be no rerun of sexual euphoria, but there are some things more important than sex. Love being the main one.

******************************

Our last month working together went fast. And school approached also. Jade and I talked marriage and I brought it up with her Dad over Christmas break. He said it was paramount that she graduate before getting married. I would be done in May and she would be done in a year unless she took a summer course which meant her not working for the Cubs. This summer anyway. Then it was either find a job or go for her physical therapy education. We weren't sure what she would do. But I had my path laid out in front of me.

*********************************

Epilogue:

Opening Day for the Iowa Cubs. Jade had been invited to throw out the first of the dozen or so Ceremonial First Pitches of the new season. I had been working a lot and traveling some. I was finishing my degree up online and I was around our home 2 or 3 days on the weekends. We loved our time together and treasured every moment. I had packed for 5 days and left on Monday and told her to make sure Aspen recorded her pitch for me.

While they waited in the wings, Aspen asked Jade how things were going.

"Good. I will be done by July but won't graduate until August, then I hope he asks me to marry him,"

Jade said. "What about you? I see you have a new boytoy..."

"Oh, stop! But yes. I do, and I hope we can be as happy as you two are. So how is Adam doing? I don't see much of him," Aspen innocently asked.

"He's good. He got a chance to play Double A ball as kind of a payback for a job well done. He didn't make it up here last year, of course, but he said he's done chasing the baseball player dream."

"Where is he this week?" Aspen asked.

"Chicago. Some front office stuff, and some scout work. I hope he's home early this week. For some reason I really miss him this week. More than usual."

With that, the Public Address announcer told the record crowd what the next event was, and who would be throwing out the Ceremonial First Pitches. Jade had set up dozens of these last season, but this one was different because all eyes would be on her. Well, all eyes were on her last year, too, but she didn't realize it.

"Today, our first basemen will be the honorary catcher," the PA announcer said as Number 68 walked out to home plate, complete with catcher's helmet and mask on. Not normal, but sometimes they would gear up a bit while amateurs threw balls in the general direction of home plate.

"Our first pitcher is Jade Miller," as a small cheer erupted from the crowd. "Come on, let's hear ot for Jade! She worked for us last year," and with that as well as the close up shot on the video board showed the gorgeous former worker, and the crowd's applause grew and grew, to the point that most of the men were on their feet.

"Hopefully when she graduates she will come back to work with us. Okay, Jade, let it rip! Throw a strike!"

Aspen said to her, "Good luck, Jade! Don't disappoint. "

Jade wound up and tossed the baseball in. It arced high but crossed the plate in what would probably be a strike. The crowd went wild.

"I hope you got that on video," Jade said. "I can't wait for Adam to see it."

"We have it all, he will see it again and again," Aspen said.

The next kid went to run out to throw his pitch, but one of the players, the catcher in full gear, stopped him from leaving the dugout. "Hang tight, kid. Wait a minute," the player said.

Jade waved to the crowd, and walked towards the catcher to get her ball from him. He reached into his pocket and appeared to sign the ball, and then reached back into his pocket as he approached the beauty walking his way.

Jade was stunning. Her hair was shorter than the crowd would remember. Because of the early April cold she had a sweatshirt on, but had shed the jacket right before throwing her pitch. The heavier clothes didn't show off her body, but even a parka couldn't hide her athleticism and femininity.

As her catcher got close, he pulled his mask and helmet off and dropped them. Jade was confused and shocked.

"Adam?"

"Jade, my last year has been the best ever. And I don't ever want to be without you."

The crowd couldn't hear their conversation but was starting to pay attention to what they were figuring out what was going on.

"I talked to your dad at Christmas, and we have your parents' blessing. We cannot get married until you graduate, but," I said, as I got down on one knee and presented the ring that I had stored on the Sharpie I signed the baseball with, "Jade Lorelei Miller, would you make me the luckiest guy in the world and marry me?"

We both had tears in our eyes. I had some fear that she would say "No" because of the huge public spectacle I had turned this into. I realized how lucky I was even to be in this situation and how lucky I had been to spend the last year together with her.

She quickly nodded her head, and rushed the 2 steps to me and almost tackled me in an effort to hug me. "Of course I will marry you, Adam!"

Given what was an appropriate time to wait, Aspen came up and was going to shake our hands and lead us off the field, but it quickly turned into a 3 way hug.

"Aspen, I don't know when it is yet, but save the date...I will need you to be a bridesmaid," Jade said to Aspen.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Aspen said.

**************************