Train Wreck

sixteen

Remington POV

"Where did you learn to throw like that?" Alice laughed at my expression when I approached her on the baseball field. The thunk I heard when the ball slammed into Benji's mitt echoed across the park and made all of us take notice. She shook her head, shrugging, but I saw her blush even in the dim light of dusk.   

Liss knew she had talent but didn't want to show off.

Benji was like the Energizer bunny today in spite of how busy we had been plus his cast and the crutches plus boot combo he had to deal with. I could tell Liss was exhausted and eager to collapse in bed but he needed this extra adventure after dinner so of course she went along to  tie up a great day for her brother.

"Had to learn how to pitch so I could help that one become the best catcher they'd ever had," she grinned, nodding toward Benji before tossing the ball to me and stepping aside. "Go for it."

My pitch was far softer than hers and I heard laughter from my dad and Jesse when it pitifully hit Benji's glove. He hollered and teased me before throwing the ball back to me.  I thought I heard him say something about how he'd call me a girl but that would be mean to his sister. Liss grinned, fixing my posture a bit, then stood back so I could try again. I felt a difference this time and continued to change how I threw, altering my pitch and trying new hand holds as well based on Benji's directions to try for a knuckleball he was dead set on teaching me.

We spent about an hour at the park, tossing around the baseball and chasing fireflies. Liss and Benji clearly had this down to a science and were well versed at their own catch rules. My dad and I agreed we would have to get new mitts for ourselves to participate properly but borrowing from Benji would work for the time being. Jesse said he had one at his folks place somewhere in the garage and promised to go dig that as well as his old bats and other gear out of their storage unit.

By the time it was too dark to see the ball we realized we should make our way back. Thankfully there were plenty of street lights plus it was a short walk, so I reached my hand for Liss as we walked down the sidewalk. She smiled, "Shall we?"

I nodded, "We shall. I'm exhausted." 

Alice's eyes grew wider and she nodded faster along with me, her voice lower, "He has always had tons of energy, but I really did think maybe the crutches would slow him down a little." Her face was drawn and tired, dark circles more noticeable today than before. 

I pulled her closer, "So, plans for tonight?"

She let one of her long, happy sighs, "Warm caramel brownie with a glass of milk to wash down my pain meds while we probably watch a movie or something similar. You?"

"Same. Can't wait. We probably should have been taking the pain meds all day, right?"

Alice shrugged, stepping carefully over sidewalk cracks as she walked which made me smile. "I mean, I guess? They said it's up to us when we need it."  Her eyes met mine and I saw a glimmer of concern, "I don't want to take this stuff too much and get hooked so I'd almost rather wait until night time."

"Just take two pain pills and fall asleep while you're buzzing? " I asked, laughing.

She giggled, hopping over another sidewalk line, "I mean, I had some awesome dreams in the hospital thanks to those meds. It was not a bad time at all." We approached their house and she looked around the quiet neighborhood, surprised, "Wow, that was a fast walk!"

"You really are close to everything here," I commented.  The house was in the middle of their street and I did not know many people that lived nearby besides Jesse, but had a feeling there were other old friends lurking that I would become reacquainted with soon.