I’m backstage and I don’t care about the contest. I want to be with Rick. He needs me. Maybe, I need him. We all have our personal issues. I need to remember who he is and what has happened in his life. We don’t want to hurt each other. We need to trust each other. I didn’t think a text from Joey would be a big deal and he didn’t invite Ava to his room. If he needs to go for a run, so he can clear his head, well at least he told me and didn’t disappear into the night. He did come back and want answers, he didn’t leave and it was over. No, that’s what I did. Just like me. Drill it down to the base of the problem and not be able to get over it or around it or focus on anything but it. Damn it! Why is this taking so long?
Mike with the Mic pops backstage looking for me, “Sherry? I’ve called you out three times. What’re you doing back here?” He stares at me oddly and crooks his head to a questioning angle. “Never mind, you did great. Can you come out on stage now, please?”
Mike leaves and I follow him out, stepping up onto the stage. “Thank you everybody for coming out tonight. The crew here at Batter Up and I appreciate your patronage during this contest. We know some of it has been hard to listen to, while other contestants like these two standing here made up for it in spades. The bartenders have surveyed the crowd and put the votes together.” A waitress walks up and hands Mike a napkin. He turns to us and says, “One of you got 55 of the 60 votes. Amazing results. Congratulations, Sherry! You’ve been the one to beat since week one.”
I’m speechless. I manage to mutter out, “Thank you.” Not concerned about the competition at all. It’s not important right now.
“It’s okay sweetie, go do what you need to do,” Mike encourages me to do what’s in my heart.
I search for Rick, and he’s back at the table with the other Seals. I go to him, but Cross stops me before I get there, “I’m not letting you get any closer to him unless this is a good thing. Are you going to fix this?” Chase questions.
“I’m going to him and not running away, so we can fix us. He’s not alone in this,” I tell Chase.
“You better be sure about that because his ideas for fixing it are crazy,” Cross warns.
“I like crazy,” I smile at him, and like the troll under the bridge he lets me pass.
I approach Rick slowly, gazing into his eyes and hoping to find our connection. “Hi. Do you want to get out of here?”
He stands up, “I’ll go wherever you are,” his eyes on me heavily.
My eyes start to tear up and I’m getting all girly again. I need to keep some of my wits about me to get through this and not lose it. I reach out for his hand and he takes mine. I lead him out of the Batter Up and retrace our steps to the bleachers at the Embarcadero. A peaceful place with a great memory and a beautiful night sky. A place where we can be alone. We walk silently. It gives me time to consider what I want and what I want to say to him.
We climb up the stairs of the bleachers and sit down together. He starts to talk, but I stop him. “I need to start. You didn’t trust me when I’ve given you more of me than I’ve ever given anyone else. I trust you more than anyone else and it hurt because of it. Everything I’ve done that I’d never do screamed at me internally. You didn’t trust me, and finding her in your room—It was too much. I needed to get away. It hit home with me because I don’t trust people, but it was never a question with you. You never saw that part of me. I trusted you from the moment I saw you step on the baseball field for the first time. You have history, it was evident pretty quick that relationships haven’t gone your way. I learned how bad women have treated you. I saw the hurt on your face then and I heard it in your voice when you called me drunk. When I told you there’s only you, I meant it. I need you to trust me. I’ll never hurt you intentionally.” I wait for a response to my ramble, with more to say.
Rick takes a deep breath, “I have to know if you believe me.” He stops and searches my eyes. “I need you to know you’re the only one for me. Ava is nothing and I’ve never given any other woman my room key, only you. I’ll never cheat on you.”
“I have to. You’re not one of those players.” I gaze up at him and smile, while my eyes fill with tears. “I don’t know if I can handle the life of a professional baseball player, it’s why I ran. You didn’t trust me and it weakened my heart. I couldn’t see what was happening right in front of me. I couldn’t trust my heart and believe in you.” I look down and taste my salty tears as they fall across my lips. “I’ve never needed anyone.” I gaze up at Rick, letting him see my tears, “I love you and I need you.”
He immediately put his arms around me, holding me tight, his face in my hair, “I love you, my queen. Always you. Only you.” He pulls me into his lap and we sit on the bleachers together quietly, needing to be together. I didn’t know how much I needed him until I felt my heart start beating, deprived of the ability for weeks. He
