It was only the second game of spring training that she was going to attend and it was the Yankees at the Braves at the Disney sports complex. She was relaxing as Ben drove.
�How�s Katie?� Katie managed to rope Ben into a relationship. Even Ben wasn�t sure how it happened.
�She�s alright. She�s stressing over an Economics assignment?�
�Why aren�t you?�
All semester Ben had been walking around like he was talking underwater basket weaving while she was knee deep in term papers, projects and exams.
�Economics is my thing.�
She took out her phone and dialed Derek�s number. She didn�t tell him that she had tickets to the game.
�Hello?�
�Hey, its Maleeyah. Ben and I will be there soon.�
�What? In New York?�
�New York? No, the stadium for the game against the Braves.�
�Oh, I have the day off and I have to handle something up here.�
She frowned at Ben as he looked at her, trying to figure out what was going on, �You�re in New York right now? Well, you suck.�
He laughed, �Sorry, you should go to the game anyway.�
So presumptuous of him or just plain forgetful. �I am, Braves fan remember. I wasn�t going to cheer you on. I�m wearing my Braves hat right now.�
�You might have cheered for the Braves to win but I bet you would have cheered for me every time I was up at the plate.�
�Nope.�
�Are you lying?�
�Yes.� His laughed came through the phone loud and clear. One day she was going to get the better of him and just shock the hell out of him.
�When are you going to be back?�
�I�m catching a late flight tonight.�
�Poor thing.�
�Not really, I�ll be done soon. But I�m in New York, no need to rush.�
�What are you going to do? Club for an hour then catch the red eye?�
�Not really, just going out to dinner.�
�With?�
�Now why can�t-�
�Oh don�t start that crap. Who are you going out to dinner with? Vanessa?�
�Yeah.�
�I guess the days and weeks apart add up when you�re in spring training huh?�
�Yeah, she�s been looking forward to today.�
Why did men try to act hard, she wondered. He was probably looking forward to seeing her too. She looked over and saw Ben motioning for the phone.
�Hold on, Ben wants to talk to you.�
She handed him the phone and lay her head to the side and closed her eyes. Even though she was excited about seeing her Braves she was disappointed she wasn�t going to see Derek.
�Hey man�nothing much�� Even though she was supposedly one of the boys she could still decipher some of the selective language they chose to use around her at times.
**
He had continued to call and she ignored his calls; not even bothering to listen to the messages he left. As the phone rang she wanted to ignore him again but she found herself answering the phone anyway.
�What do you want?� She wasn�t going to answer the phone with any pleasantries. He didn�t deserve it.
�Hello Maleeyah. I want to talk to you.� Every message that he had left had always been calm and alluring; as if he wanted to lull her in with his niceness.
�I don�t want to talk to you.�
�I know I hurt you. I know you don�t understand. I don�t expect you to but I want to try and make things better between us. I miss you, I think about you all the time. I want to know how you�re doing.�
She lost control and the tears flooded down her face.
�Not having a father; I know that has caused you a lot of pain. It hurts...and I�m sorry for that.�
�So, why did you do it? Why did you leave me?�
She hated herself for giving in and asking him anything. She didn�t want him to think she needed any answers from him. She didn�t want him to think she cared.
�I�it was so complicated. It was like everything was caving in on me. The pressure of being a father. I didn�t want to be a good father I wanted to be a great father. Your mother and I weren�t happy��
That was it. It was over. The tiny respite in her anger for him. It was complicated? She didn�t need a reason that was based on his emotions, his fears, and his selfishness. She wanted, she needed to hear something definitive. He was in the witness protection program and he had to leave. He was really a covert spy who�s identity had been compromised so for the sake of his family�s safety he went underground. She needed something but she didn�t need to hear him complain about his less than perfect existence because of her and her mother.
�So it was some midlife crisis? That�s why you left me? You weren�t happy with my mom, that�s why you deserted me?�
�I know I didn�t handle it right.�
�You�re damn right you didn�t.�
That was her last words before she hung up.
047 | No Ordinary Girl