Part 8: Sunday

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Lily

We had a game that Sunday. My last day in The Program-so my last day nude on a baseball field.

I didn't play, though. I wasn't supposed to pitch, anyway-Frankie pitched. And the coach called me over before the game. "Woodard, I think I'm going to try you in center when Gutierrez pitches-but not today. Rest the leg. We need you on the mound this week."

"Fine with me," I told him.

"Besides which, that means I can get you out on the field with the damn uniform on. Jeez. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you slid on Friday. I hope nobody else on this team goes through The Program."

"I doubt you can count on that," I grinned. "Some of us are kind of waiting for the day when Ed's number comes up."

"Oh, geez, that's all I need," Coach groaned. "Get him naked, and he'll be taking time outs to go try to fuck every girl sitting on the third-base line." Then he blushed. "Scuse my language."

"Fuck your language," I told him with an impish grin. He grinned back. "You should've figured out by now that I'm not that pristine."

"Yeah, you're right," he grinned. "In fact-and I'm being a real jerk by even bringing this up, especially if it's not true, but I'm curious. I heard a rumor that you 'got it on' with some guy in right field."

"True story. Not just 'some guy, ' though, Skipper. Your starting catcher," I grinned.

"You... and Kirkland?!?"

"Yeah, I thought you knew."

"No, I thought you guys were just good friends."

"No, Coach, sorry. We're going out. You now have two members of your team dating one another," I grinned at him.

"Aw, Christ, that's all I need!" Then he thought about something. "Wait a minute. You took your shower with the team Friday. Twenty naked guys. And Kirkland was in there."

"We're cool with that kind of stuff," I told him. "Look, with every other member of the team, I'm one of the guys. With Mike it's a little bit more complicated than that, obviously, but he understands how I relate to the rest of the team."

"That's good. But, look, Lily-listen, I was wrong. You're good, you're damn good, and I think this team can really go places this year. And I already knew Kirkland was good. We're going to need both of you. And if something happens in your personal relationship..."

"Don't even spare a minute to worry about that," I cut him off. "Look, I know I'm only seventeen, but you know what the world is like today. I've been around the block a few times." He nodded. "I've finally found a guy that understands me. Completely understands all of me. I didn't think such a person existed. You think I'm gonna blow that? I'm smarter than that."

"Yes, you are," he laughed. "Go on, get out of here. And don't distract my catcher!"