Tom and Leah

"You're very welcome. If you feel the need, come on down and we'll whip up something really tasty for you, I promise." She waved to him and started up her car. Tom took a step back and waved back as she pulled away and disappeared down the road. Tom glanced in that direction once more before he headed back into the house to resume his work.

III.

The next few weeks went by swiftly for Tom as he continued working on his house. His pickup truck and boat arrived from St. Louis a week after his return to Hastings and he promptly stored the boat and trailer in the garage. There was still plenty of room in the garage for his car and truck.

He continued to go to the diner periodically, mostly at lunch, but sometimes for breakfast. He never was a big eater at breakfast and felt guilty for ordering only cereal or an egg or two. When he did order, Leah would shake her head and say, "Just like your dad.", before walking away.

Leah did not visit his house again, but they started to get to know each other little by little through their conversations at lunch. It was during one such conversation in the early part of November when she asked him a question that had been gnawing at her every time she saw him.

"So, what do you do for a living?" she asked as she wiped up a spill with a washcloth. She looked at him expectantly, not knowing if she was prying too much.

"I'm retired," he answered simply.

"Retired? You're too young to be retired."

"Well, in my line of work, it's about the right age."

"What was your line of work, if I may ask?"

"I was a baseball player," he replied, slightly amused by her ignorance. Most people in town knew he played professional ball.

"Really?" she asked. "I didn't know that. Who did you play for?"

"I played for Baltimore, Oakland, San Diego, and St. Louis. St. Louis was my last stop."

"Why did you quit?" She put the dishrag aside and had her full attention on him, her blue eyes boring in on him.

"I wasn't playing up to my own standards. I didn't want to be a reserve player anymore and that's all I was going to be from now on. I guess I was just getting too old and I had enough."

"Enough of what?"

"I don't know," he sighed, "It was a lot of things. The traveling was getting old, living out of a suitcase half the year was a pain, trying to stay in top shape when I wasn't playing as much as I wanted. There was a lot of things, I guess."

"Do you miss it?"

Tom laughed. "Not yet. I won't miss it until spring rolls around and I won't have to go to Florida for spring training. Then, I'll start missing it. Right now, I'm enjoying a normal off season."

"Do you think you'll regret it?"

"Regret what?"

"Regret retiring when you probably could have played a few more years."

Tom shook his head. "No, I won't regret it. I thought about it for a long time before I made the decision. It was the right thing to do. I never wanted to be one of those players who hung on way too long after their skills went downhill. I never wanted to hang around just for the money. I made enough money in the game. It was time for me to step aside and let someone younger take my place."

Tom looked down and away as his inner turmoil started to make waves again. He knew he would miss the game terribly when spring arrived. He always looked forward to going to Florida to start a new season. He would miss the warm sunshine hitting his face just as he would miss chiding his siblings about the cold weather that still enveloped the lower peninsula of Michigan during March. Oh, he would miss it alright.

Leah sensed a change in him and thought perhaps he was upset with her. She felt maybe she had gone too far with her questioning. Leah thought they were friends, yet she knew so little about him. He interested her, particularly because he treated her with respect. She suspected he was a bit wealthy from seeing the vehicles he drove, yet he never flashed his money, always paying in small bills, yet giving her very generous tips. It puzzled her at first when he did not hit on her or ask her out like most of the single men in town, but she valued him more because of it.

"I'm sorry if I pried too much," she said quietly, breaking his thoughts. "It's a bad fault of mine."

"You weren't prying. I don't mind talking about myself or my career. It just kind of surprised me you didn't know I was a ballplayer. Most everyone in town knows that."

"I guess I'm not everyone," she replied.

"No, you're certainly not," he agreed. Tom liked talking to her. He liked her self-confidence, but she had nary a hint of vanity. She wore very little makeup and almost no jewelry save the gold studs she wore in her lobes. Leah wore no rings, something Tom had noticed quickly, although he had not asked her any questions about her personal life up to that point. The idea of asking her out had crossed his mind, but he did not want to come across as the usual ballplayer trying to put the moves on a woman. He was past that game. There were times in his younger days when he used his status to meet, date, and bed women, but looking back, he realized how stupid and immature he had been. It was fun at the time, but it was nothing sustaining or nurturing.

He thought he got it right when he met Karen, an executive in his agent's firm in Washington D.C. They dated for almost a year before marrying in a simple ceremony in Baltimore. Things went well for them until he was traded to Oakland. Trying to sustain a marriage across the country proved fatal. She liked living in D.C., was established in a well-paying position, and did not want to move. Tom had no choice in the matter of what team employed him, so his only option was to retire, but he was not going to do that, not when he was in the prime of his career. They tried to work it out over the course of his first season on the west coast, but in the end, they both knew it could not work. He thought about her from time to time, and it amused him that she popped into his head at that moment.

Leah noticed the smile and looked at him curiously, not knowing what to think. Within seconds, he shook the thoughts out of head and looked at her.

"Are you back with us, hon?" she asked, smiling. "Did you leave for awhile?"

"Sorry about that," he replied sheepishly, embarrassed. "I was just thinking about some things." He looked out the window momentarily, watching the light snowfall that had begun to blanket the streets.

Looking back at her, he asked, "So, what do you do when you're not working here?"

"Not much," she replied, eyeing her other customers and knowing she was somewhat neglecting them. "I better get moving or I won't have a job to worry about!"

"That's okay," Tom replied. "We'll talk again."

He placed a five dollar bill on the counter to cover his orange juice and eggs. Tom shrugged on his coat and looked at her once again as she busied herself behind the counter. He would have to ask her out sometime, he knew that, but he did not know when. Waving to her as he reached for the door, Tom stepped out into the chilly morning as the snowflakes softly pelted the earth.

A few days later, a Sunday to be exact, Tom woke early for no particular reason. Since the season ended, he had stayed in his normal routine of sleeping late until nine or ten before getting up. Most of his games, when he played, did not end until after ten-thirty or eleven and by the time he would get home, or to the team hotel if they were on the road, it would be after one, so sleeping late was a habit for him.

He remembered passing his old church a few times and glancing at the times posted for Sunday services. As busy as he was during the season, he still tried to attend some type of service whenever possible. However, he had been so busy during his first month back that the thought of attending services kept slipping his mind. That day, though, he had no excuse. After taking a shower, he ate a bowl of cereal and drank a glass of grapefruit juice. He changed into slacks and a shirt and tie before making the drive into town.

A strange feeling came over Tom as he entered the small church. The last time he had been in the church was for his father's funeral and it brought back sad memories for him. It was a small church, having twenty rows of pews on each side bisected by an aisle. Tom chose a seat near the front on the right hand side and waited for the service to begin.

A few minutes passed when Tom noticed Leah standing on the left side of the pulpit with a small group of people and he immediately deduced they were the choir. They were practicing quietly, singing in hushed tones as Tom looked on and listened with interest.

The service was thankfully not too long, although Tom enjoyed it. The choir was very good, too, but much to Tom's chagrin, he could not hear Leah's voice. He thought he would like that.

After the service, Tom was greeted by some old friends whom he had yet to meet since he came back. Leah had seen him during the service and approached him after she put away her music, patiently waiting behind him as he conversed in animated tones with his friends. Her two girls had already left and were walking home since they lived but a block or two away.

Once the reunion broke up, Tom reached for his coat in the pew and saw Leah standing behind him.

"They'll let anyone in this church, won't they?" Leah grinned, teasing him.

"Oh, I guess so," he replied as he put on his coat. "Your group sounded really nice," he added.

"We do our best. What brought you to our church today?" she asked.

"I used to come here. I actually woke up early enough today, so I decided to come. I think I'll have to set my alarm from now on."

"Will you now?"

"Yeah." Just then, thoughts of his father's funeral flashed before him. He could almost see the flag-draped casket in the aisle. Tom's eyes instantly turned misty before he blinked furiously to rid himself of the tears that threatened to fall.

"Are you okay?" she asked, worried upon seeing the strange look on his face.

Tom shook his head to clear the image. "Yeah," he said softly. "I was just thinking back to the last time I was here."

"Was that your dad's funeral?"

Tom nodded.

"I was here, too."

"You were?"

Leah shifted her feet nervously. "I sang with the choir. I remember you, too. I don't know how, but you stood out. It's funny how I didn't know you when you came back, but I distinctly remember you at the funeral."

"I don't remember there being any singing that day, I'm sorry."

Leah shrugged her shoulders. They stood in an awkward silence as the small church began to empty. Leah placed her hands into her coat pockets and looked around to see they were almost alone.

"So," she said slowly, "do you have any plans today?"

Tom's face brightened at the slight hint. "No, no plans, really. I was just going to vegetate and maybe watch the Lions game this afternoon, although I don't know why I want to punish myself. They're really horrible this year."

"No different than any other year," she teased.

"That's the truth," Tom replied.

"Well, if that's the case, would you like to join me and my girls for lunch? It's nothing fancy, believe me," she added as Tom began to protest.

"What if I take you and your daughters out to lunch?" Tom countered. "Don't you think it's about time someone waited on you?" He smiled and cocked an eyebrow. "Besides, I haven't taken out three pretty women at the same time before."

Leah smiled at the compliment. "You haven't met my daughters. How do you know they're pretty?"

"If they look anything like you, there's no doubt how pretty they are."

"Stop that, Tom," she protested, tapping his arm lightly. "You'll have me blushing like a school girl!"

"Well, what do you say?" he asked patiently. "Come on, you know you'll enjoy it."

Leah really wanted to, but she did not know how her girls would react. She did not want them thinking that Tom was anything more than a friend or that there was anything going on between them. Their father had regular visitation privileges and she was grateful he was part of their lives. But, the more she tried to make excuses not to go, the more absurd it sounded to her. He is just a friend and they will not think anything of it, she kept saying to herself.

"I'd love to go," she said finally.

"Great," Tom said, "let's go, then."

It was a very pleasant drive to the restaurant. As Leah had hoped, the girls thought nothing of going out to eat with their mother and Tom. The eldest, Emma, seemed more interested in Tom's career as a ballplayer more than anything else.

"Maybe you could help me next spring. I'm terrible at softball," she said after asking him questions about where he played, what positions, etc.

"I'm sure I could do that," Tom said from the front seat, "but maybe your coach would want to teach you herself."

"I don't know," Emma replied, "she's just one of the mothers who volunteered to coach since no one else wanted to do it. She doesn't know a lot about softball."

"I'm sure she does a fine job," Tom tried to reassure her.

They stopped at a Bob Evans that was about ten miles outside of Hastings towards Battle Creek. It was not too crowded and they had a very enjoyable time. The girls chatted amongst themselves while Tom and Leah talked about general things.

"You'll have to stop by sometime and see the house. I've got it pretty close to where I want it now," Tom said between bites. "I can't wait for spring to come so I can fix the dock and get that swimming area in shape. I know all my nieces and nephews will want to go swimming once summer hits."

"How many do you have?" Leah asked.

Tom thought for a few seconds trying to remember all of them. "Twelve," he answered. "Now that I'm home and got the space, I hope they all can come down once or twice a month."

"That'll be a houseful," Leah remarked.

"Yeah, but it'll be great to see them all again."

It was almost two o'clock when Tom pulled up in front of their home. It was a modest two story frame house, painted gray with green shutters

"Come in for a minute?" Leah asked once the kids had left the car and closed the door.

"Thanks, but I think I'll just head home," he replied.

"The Lions are calling you, aren't they?"

"No," he laughed, "I just have some things to do around the house."

"You're retired, remember? You can do it tomorrow."

Tom smiled and looked away shaking his head. Looking back at Leah, he said, "Alright, I'll come in for a minute."

"Good," she said flashing a wide smile.

The girls had already gone upstairs to their rooms to change by the time Leah and Tom came inside. They entered into a small living room and Tom could see the dining room and kitchen to the left. It instantly reminded him of his aunt's home in Saginaw, its warmth and coziness coming through.

"Here, let me take your coat," Leah said reaching forward. Tom pulled off his coat and handed it to her where she hung it in the closet next to hers. "Well, come on in and make yourself at home. It's not much, but it'll do."

"It's nice," Tom remarked. Pictures of the girls were everywhere along with other photos. Tom sat in a nearby chair and Leah sat across from him in a recliner.

"I was curious, Tom," Leah began, "what are you going to do with yourself once baseball starts again? Don't you think you'll go a little stir crazy in this small town?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think there's enough to do around the house to keep me occupied. I'll be visiting my brothers and sisters and their families and they'll be coming down here, too. I guess it's possible that I may get a bit bored, but I could use some boredom."

He leaned forward with his hands clasped in front of him.

"You see," he continued, "I've been on the road and away from home for almost fifteen years. I've missed a lot of birthdays, graduations, weddings, and other special events so I want to make up for that and enjoy my family again."

"I guess it got pretty lonely being away from home."

"It wasn't like I didn't visit when I was in Detroit for games or in the off season, but I missed my brother's and my sister's wedding, numerous births, plus I wasn't there when my dad died. Those kinds of things hurt and I can't get them back. But, yes, it did get lonely at times, especially since I haven't been married for almost ten years."

Tom eased back in the chair and sighed. Leah was easy to talk to and she seemed to understand him. She was becoming a good friend and he was beginning to believe she was someone with whom he could trust. He had been burned a few times by women who appeared sincere, but were only after his money or the prospect of being a ballplayer's girlfriend or wife. Of course, he had been guilty of using women, too, so it sort of evened out in his mind. But, he was finished with skirt chasing and bed hopping and had been for quite a while. He just wanted to settle down and enjoy the peace and quiet of small town living. Leah never gave him the impression she was after anything but his friendship.

Leah, too, was at ease, but was having a hard time trying to figure out Tom. He was so unlike the other men in town, or for men in general. He came into the diner at least three times a week ever since he arrived from St. Louis and they talked quite a bit. Not once had he made an inappropriate remark or even tried to flirt with her in all that time. He was quick with a smile and his laugh was genuine. Even though his tips were far more than generous, he never asked for anything special in return; a larger piece of pie or a bigger helping. She was amused to find him reluctant to come into her home for a few minutes, but there they were talking like old friends.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked out of the blue. He hoped he was not out of line.

"Sure."

"Why hasn't a pretty woman like you remarried? Surely there's someone in this town who's struck your fancy."

"Wow," she said, blowing air through her nostrils, "I wasn't expecting that!"

"If it's too personal, I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have asked," Tom said hurriedly.

"No, no," she said, waving her hand at him, "I'm fine with it. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

Leah pondered his question for a minute, trying to say what she really felt instead of just a pat answer of not finding Mr. Right.

"Part of me likes being single and independent," she began, "but there's more to it than that. I guess when it really comes down to it, I just haven't found anyone who will do right by them." Leah pointed to the ceiling where her daughters were. "I think if I could find someone whom I could trust to be a great step-dad, I would have no trouble remarrying. Until I find that person, I have no problem staying single."

"That's the best reason I can think of," Tom replied. "I hope you find him someday."

The girls bounded down the steps before Leah could reply, their hair flying in all directions and giggling and laughing when they came into the room.

"Hey, hey," Leah said sternly, "you're interrupting me and Tom."

"Sorry," Christina said solemnly.

"Me too," Emma added.

"Do you have your homework done?" Leah asked.

"No," they answered in unison.

"Then march right back up and get it done. You know the rules." Leah pointed to the stairs.

"I should be going," Tom said quietly, not wanting to interfere with their routine.

"You don't have to, Tom. They know the rules about homework." Leah was enjoying his company and did not want him to leave so soon.

"No, I really should...."

"Can I ask you something?" Emma said, interrupting Tom. Leah glared at her for her impertinence.

"Sure, you can, Emma," Tom said before Leah could rip into her.