Chapter 13

When Dan and Arlie left for Camden Yards, Alissa went upstairs for a quick nap. "Wake me in an hour," she told Susan. "I'm just wearing down a little from all the excitement."

"Okay, but first tell me how you liked my guy."

"I'm really completely at ease about him. He doesn't have that smarmy quality, like your guy from Penn."

"Burton."

"Yeah, Burton coiled-like-a-snake Coyle."

"Jeez, Ma. If you don't like somebody, don't just skirt around the edges like that. Say it plain!"

"Nap time." Alissa said, and left.

"I'm glad you liked your future son-in-law," Susan hollered from downstairs.

God, I hope Dan didn't put the whammy on us today. If we don't end up together, it'll be one more huge notch to carve on Mom's pessimism totem pole.

"But maybe we will," she said aloud. "We could end up together. You can't go through life being afraid of commitment."

"What did you say, Susan?" Christy shouted from the kitchen.

"Nothing, Babe. Just talking to myself."

"Where's your Mom?"

"Taking a nap."

"Could we talk for a minute? Just you and me?" Christy asked.

"Sure, Honey. What's on your mind?"

"I wondered about why you kind of put Dan down when he was talking about you getting married."

"I didn't put him down, Sweetheart. I just pointed out that we hadn't known each other all that long. I thought it was way too soon to be talking about marriage."

Especially in front of my mother, Susan thought.

"But you ... you're in love with him, aren't you?"

"Yes. Yes, Sweetie, I think I am. But. We haven't known each other very long."

"How long does it take? To know you love somebody?"

"Well. It varies. It's not some set amount of time. It depends on how much people can learn about each other and maybe how experienced they already are with the opposite sex, you know?"

"But you guys. You and Dan. You're, y'know, having sex, right?"

"Christy, I think your dad has told you not to quiz me about private matters like that, hasn't he?"

"I'm not just being nosy," Christy said. "I really want to understand stuff. I know you and Dan are doing it. And that you really like each other. I was afraid maybe you didn't want to marry Dan because then, me 'n Toby would have to find somebody new to take care of us again."

"Oh, Honey, that's not it! You and Toby aren't interfering with any future that Dan and I might plan together. Maybe it's true that if we ever got married —- a long time from now —- it would maybe mean your dad would have to find somebody new to be your nanny. But don't worry yourself! That's not entering into any decisions Dan or I are making right now."

"It's all mixed up for me," Christy said. "I mean, I want you to be happy, and for you and Dan to be together. But I want you to be here, too. For me 'n Toby."

"Well, nothing's going to change right away, Honey. I can promise you that much."

"Would you still work here after you and Dan got married?"

"Probably not. But I'd still be around. We'd still be friends. And we'd see each other all the time, and we could talk, like now."

"You know what I like about you?" Christy said.

"My tuna salad sandwiches?"

"You haven't ever bullshitted us. Me 'n Toby. You always tell us what's happening. The real scoop."

"Thank you, Christy. That's the best compliment I've received in a long time."

"Your mom's nice, too. I really like her."

"She's amazing, Christy. Sometime, when you and I are talking, I'll tell you her whole story. She's had it kind of tough compared to most moms, you know? Things haven't been so easy for her. But her life's starting to get better now."

"I wish she wasn't leaving already on Sunday. It's been fun having her around."

"Yes," Susan said, "it has."

"She reminds me of my mom, a little."

"Something else for us to talk about together. You haven't told me all that much. About your mom."

"Mostly, I don't like to talk about her. It makes me remember sad stuff. But I think I could tell you about her. We could have a long talk. About our moms."

"We'll do it when Toby's on that sleepover with Reggie next week. That will be the perfect time."

"Yeah! That'll be great! I know how, when Toby's here, you always try to, like, include him in stuff."

"It's really important that I do that, Christy. Otherwise, you and I, we'd be leaving Toby out. Treating him like he doesn't count."

"Oh, I understand why you do it," the young girl said. "I know it's the right thing to do. My aunt -— the one in Philadelphia? She kind of ignored Toby. I felt bad for him sometimes."

"Toby's okay," Susan said. "And I'm proud of the way his older sister looks out for him."

"When my mom died, Daddy said we had to look out for each other. Me 'n Toby. He said it was one of the most important things we had to do, from now on."

"That's very true," Susan said. "My mom told me the very same thing when my sister and brothers were little."

"I wish we could just stay home tonight and talk about our moms," Christy said.

"That would be nice. And fun. But it'll soon be time for me to wake my mother and for all of us to get ready to go to the game. Dan's pitching tonight."

"I hope Orlie Warren is there. And Alice Taylor. Your mom will like them."

"They'll most likely be there," Susan said. "Every time we've been to a game, I've seen them both."

That night, Dan was thoroughly in charge for the opening four innings, allowing the Nationals only a double in the third, and giving the Oriole offense a chance to build a 5-zip lead.

The fifth inning was another story, however, as Dan started missing the plate and eventually loaded the bases on two walks and an error. Before he could find his way out of the lengthy inning, the Nats had scored four runs.

Paul Warren didn't have any more-attractive alternatives in the bullpen and decided to stick with Dan —- subject to the views of his pitching coach and Dan Preston himself. While the Oriole offense was trying to open up a larger lead in the home half of the fifth, Paul asked Dan how he felt.

"I'm not sharp," Dan said. "Funny thing is, I didn't feel sharp in the early innings, either. But I was lucky. These guys don't have much of an offense."

"But you're not tired?"

"I've gone five," Dan said. "I'm still not used to it, going for that long. So, yeah, I'm tired. But I'm not, y'know, exhausted."

"I got nobody I'd rather have out there," Paul said.

"I expect I'll be thoroughly beat after seven," Dan told him. "Better warm somebody up around that time. Maybe when I go out to start the seventh."

"Okay, Dan. That's the way we'll play it."

"Subject to change without notice, right?" Dan said, grinning.

"If they start pounding you again next inning, yeah."

In the stands, Alissa was impressed. "He's masterful out there, isn't he?" she whispered to Susan.

"He's very strong, Mom."

"And the people here. The crowd. He seems to be a favorite."

"Fans appreciate players they see as reliable. Dan's career has established him as being exceptionally so. Did you hear the tune the organist played when he took the mound?"

"The Chevy Theme, you mean?"

"Well. Before it was theme music for the Chevy Truck ads, it was a hit Bob Seger song. 'Like a Rock.'"

"So he's like a rock, eh? Well, you know the old saying, Suz: A hard man is good to find!"

"My mother, the comedienne! Now, behave yourself; here comes Christy. She has superhuman hearing -- especially for racy adult conversation."

"I'll try not to embarrass you unduly," Alissa said. "I know what an upstanding, exceedingly proper young lady you are!"

Dan barely survived the seventh inning without relief and left the game with the score tied 5-5. Once again, he'd logged some innings but was not going to be the pitcher of record. His performances as a starting pitcher had been good-but-not-great.

Eventually, the Orioles squeezed out a win, 6-5 in ten innings. Despite Dan's having gone a full seven, they used four pitchers in the process.

"Is Dan coming over tonight?" Alissa asked as they prepared to leave the stadium.

"Yes. Friday night is always one of our nights out together. That dates back to when the kids were still in school and they could sleep in on Saturday. Then Arlie would make them breakfast.

"Are you going home with Dan tonight?" her mother asked.

"I wasn't going to, no. It won't kill us to skip a night while you're here."

"You two haven't been together since the team came back to Baltimore," Alissa said.

"You make it sound like it's been a week. They just got in last night."

"That didn't stop me 'n Arlie," she said.

Susan laughed. "You were right. You're not a screamer. I didn't hear a thing."

"Hey, I warned you I was going to go to his room."

"Well, you were very discreet. At least until now."

"I'll bet you wondered whether or not I went, huh?"

"After what you did in Wooster? Hell, I knew you'd go!"

"Everything still works great, y'know?" Alissa whispered. "It's like riding a bicycle. But this week? Back in Ohio, I mean? It was my first time out since menopause. I worried plenty about that! Turns out it didn't slow me down at all! And no worries anymore about diaphragms and condoms or even pills!"

"Keep your voice down, Ma. Little pitchers, you know?"

"What can I tell you? Advanced age has its advantages."

"Don't forget about other sorts of risks. Like the risk of disease. After all, you don't know where it's been."

"I know where it's been, lately!" Alissa laughed delightedly.

Susan just shook her head. "Incorrigible!" she said.

"You go back with Dan to his place," her mother told her. "I'll feel all guilty if you don't."

Alissa joined Susan in getting Toby and Christy off to bed as soon as they arrived at the house. Arlie and Dan had a beer on the front porch while they waited.

"I couldn't ask for a better-looking future mother-in-law," Dan remarked to his old friend.

"What would you think if me 'n Alissa got something going?" Arlie answered. "Imagine! You'd have to call me 'Dad.'"

"Maybe I'd call you 'Pops, '" Dan said, "but never 'Dad.'"

"I have high hopes," Arlie said.

"Really? The two of you are getting along that well?"

"It's been wonderful, Dan. It's like the years have just melted away. And it wouldn't be so unusual, you know. There's lots of stories about old high school sweethearts who get back together after years. After they've both had other marriages."

"Internet stuff," Dan said.

"Yeah, I guess. Mostly. But I'll bet these high school and college reunions promote their share of revived romances, too."

"Well, I wish you luck, Old Man. She'd be quite a catch. And meeting her certainly is reassuring for me. I can see how fine Susan will still be, twenty-odd years from now."

"Well, check her teeth," Arlie said. "You should always check their teeth. Extensive orthodontics can just be hell on the old family budget!"

"I was just going to leave Susan here tonight and head home," Dan said. "But she said her mother insisted that she go home with me tonight. Now, that's my idea of a mother-in-law!"

"If Susan goes home with you, who's gonna chaperone me and Lissie?"

"I guess you'll just have to fall back on your native maturity and decency," Dan said.