Felix (The Ninth Inning #1) (14 page)

Stanley smiles at his son. “I’m impressed, Felix.”

Everyone heads downstairs and piles into the rented van. Felix is driving and Stanley is next to him. Marie and I sit in the middle row and the brothers are in the back.

“Okay,” I announce. “Is anyone hungry or are we going to sightsee first?”

“We’ve eaten already, Abby,” Marie states and I like that she calls me Abby. “I’m ready to explore.” She sounds very excited.

“All right.” I smile at her. “Let’s head out then.”

On the way to the middle of town, I point out certain things. Marie is the only one who is really paying attention. We walk around Beale Street and take a tour of Graceland. We walk around downtown, stop at a few places, and Marie oohs and ahhs over everything. It’s sweet to see Stanley letting her go on and on, and nobody's complaining at all.

Finally, everyone agrees it’s time to have lunch and I lead them down to a bar and grill that’s not busy during the day. We all sit around a large round table and I’m between Felix and Marie.

“Marie, did you enjoy the sights?” I ask.

“I loved it,” she beams. “These boys are a little tired, but I had a blast.”

“I thought I saw Felix yawing and Kevin was napping in the back of the van. You think these men wouldn’t be such wimps,” I tease loud enough for them to hear me.

“We are not wimps.” Kevin seems offended. “I’m not so sure about her anymore, Felix,” he says, leaning over to his brother.

“I’m not so sure either.” Felix tries to hold back the grin that’s making an appearance. “It’s been a long day, we have the right to yawn,” he tells me.

“I think I’m with Abby on this,” Stanley jumps in. “
Y’all
wimps.”

We all laugh at his attempt to say
y’all
. The waitress comes over and Felix orders a couple pitchers of beer for us. The waitress smiles at me and I know she’s going to ask for my ID. I pull it out of wallet and hand it to her. She nods and tells me happy birthday as she walks away.

“Is it your birthday?” Marie asks.

I feel my cheeks heating up as everyone is looking at me. “Yes, it is.”

“Felix,” Marie looks upset as she looks at her son. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I didn’t know.” He lifts his hands in surrender. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?” He almost looks hurt.

“I didn’t tell you because I don’t really celebrate it anymore. I mean, you have one birthday, you’ve had them all. It’s not a big deal.” I try to play it off and the waitress brings back our drinks.

“Abby, birthdays are a huge deal. It’s time for family togetherness and celebrating your life. I’m sure your parents would want you to spend it with them,” Marie tells me softly and I feel my mouth drop a little bit.

“You didn’t tell them?” I look at Felix.

He shakes his head. “No, it never really came up.”

Stanley looks concerned for a moment. “What is it, Abby?”

“Um.” I feel a little scared or maybe it’s embarrassment. “My parents have passed on. It’s only my sisters and me now.”

“Oh, sweetie.” Marie takes my hand in a caring, motherly way. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t know.” I catch her cutting a mean look to Felix.

“It’s fine.” I don’t want to be emotional right now. “You guys need to try the pork barbeque here,” I change the subject.

“Now, that is what I want.” Stanley rubs his belly. “What about you, Kevin? Are you going to share a rack of ribs with me?”

“Oh, yeah. That sounds good,” Kevin agrees.

“So, Marie.” I shoot an evil grin at Felix before turning back to his mother. “What was Felix like as a kid?”

“Oh, he wasn’t that bad.” Marie sips her beer. “Until he and Lewis decided they wanted to play baseball in my house. He was five when it all went downhill for me. All my gray hair is because of those three rascals right there.” She points at her sons. “They were constantly getting into something. I’ve threatened many times to tie them to chairs and moving cars, but nothing worked.”

“Were we really
that
bad? I don’t think we were, right, Felix?” Lewis pours more beer from the pitcher.

“We weren’t nearly that bad,” Felix agrees.

“How many times did you three break our windows? How many times did you break the neighbor’s window? Go ahead. Tell me how many.” Marie crosses her arms at them.

Kevin jumps in. “Okay, I don’t think Lewis and I can be blamed for all of this. Felix was the bad kid. He earned that title in high school. And he was always a crappy throw and usually the one who threw the ball that broke the windows.”

“Fine.” Felix throws his hand up. “I was Mom’s worst kid.”

“That’s not true.” His mother jumps to his rescue. “Each of you matured at your own time. Stanley is my worst kid.” She pats his shoulder.

“Hey, I’m the husband.” He looks offended.

“Sure you are, sweetheart.” Marie smiles at him as she continues to pat his shoulder. The whole table laughs as she coos him. “Abby, Felix did tell Kevin, but not me, that you’re in college.”

I smile as she continues to jab Felix. “That’s true. I’m in grad school right now.”

“What for?” Kevin asks.

“Literature,” I inform them because they’re all staring at me now. “I would like to be a college professor someday.”

“That sounds delightful,” Marie says brightly. The waitress comes back and we all order subs sandwiches. “Why a professor?” Marie asks when the waitress leaves the table.

I shift in my seat and clear my throat. I really don’t want to be all emotional or for it to be about my parents and me all day. “My parents were both college professors.”

“I think that’s a good career.” Stanley smiles at me and I feel more relaxed.

“And literature is perfect because she loves to read and is all weird about her books.” Felix sips his beer again.

“I’m not weird about my books,” I growl at him. “If I have them signed, I don’t want them touched. Think of it as if you had Mickey Mantle baseball. Would you want people fondling your balls?” I feel the heat hit my cheeks as I realize what I said. Oh my God, I’m turning into LA.

“Yeah, Felix. Do you want people fondling your balls?” Lewis chuckles.

“She was so serious when she asked, so you should probably give her a serious answer,” Kevin adds, smiling at me.

Thankfully, Felix ignores them both. “It’s not the same thing. Unless that author becomes super famous and leaves a huge legacy, those books aren’t going to be worth much. The values are completely different. It makes sense to not have someone touching stuff that would be worth a lot of money.”

“You’re such an insensitive guy.” Yep, I’m turning into LA and her loud-ass mouth. “It’s not the monetary value of the book; it is the feeling you get from the book. That’s someone’s hard work. Because of the blood, sweat, and tears they put in it, it turned into a masterpiece that touches someone’s life. Don’t you remember the first time a book ever moved you or
saved
you? I do and when an author signs the book, it’s like extra chocolate chips in cookies.”

Marie and Stanley are grinning at me as the waitress brings out our food. For a moment, we’re all quiet as we eat the hamburgers.

“Okay,” Felix sighs. “Okay. You win. And just so you know, that first book has a well-worn spine
and
it’s signed.”

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you concede, Felix,” Marie pats the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

“How can I argue with the comparison to having extra chocolate chips in cookies?” Felix takes another bite of his burger, which is almost gone now.

“I’m with Felix on this one and I like her.” Stanley winks at me and I can see where Felix gets his looks.

“Oh, I think you’re outnumbered, Felix. My lucky charm is getting its mojo back,” I continue to jab at him.

“Oh, that’s right. You’re the lucky charm,” Kevin speaks up and stares at me as if I’m some sort of idol.

“Hey, what happened the other night?” Lewis narrows his eyes at me. “They lost! Didn’t Felix tell you all the rules and how you have to follow them strictly?”

“Yes, I followed every rule. I promise. I don’t know what happened.” I leave out the part where I was still wearing the same thong to every game, too. I’m sure his parents wouldn’t appreciate that.

“Felix has always been that way when he plays. The moment he figures out something works, he’ll do it until it doesn’t work anymore,” Marie tells me.

“So, you would
dump
the old superstition for a new one?” My heart hurts a little bit thinking he wouldn’t talk to me if he begins to lose. Would he do that?

“I’ve never had a human good luck charm before, but as for the objects and routines, yeah. Three consecutive strikes, you’re out,” Felix says and I’m still not sure if that’s what I want to hear. I don’t know what it would be like if I couldn’t talk to him anymore.

“My favorite one was when he got a paper cut and Marie only had Transformer Band-Aids. He had it on his left ring finger and won the game. He kept doing that for almost the
entire
season,” Stanley laughs.

“It would have been better if it was a girly Band-Aid.” Lewis chuckles, too.

“Hey.” Felix points at them both. “Those Band-Aids were super lucky, even off the field. My grades were great that semester. Until, you know, the luck wore off.”

When the waitress brings the bill, Felix pays for it all. I didn’t even try to pay. I will figure out a way to pay him back, even though I know he won’t take it.

I look over at Kevin and Lewis as we climb back into the van. “Do you two have any superstitions?”

Lewis speaks up first. “I have a lucky pair of mismatched socks. They sit in a special little area in my dresser on reserve for when I need them.”

“I, um, don’t really have one anymore,” Kevin adds.

Felix laughs and I catches my eye in the rearview mirror. “I’ll tell you what his was later.”

“Oh, it must be good, then,” I turn around in my seat and tease Kevin, but he doesn’t respond.

“Abby, you said you have sisters; are they married?” Marie bring my attention back to her.

“I have two older sisters. Annie’s the oldest. She’s a teacher and not married. Then LA, or Leigh Ann, is the middle sister and she’s happily married. She enjoys being a housewife.”

“Isn’t that nice? No kids then?”

“No.”

“Do you want children?” Marie blurts out to me.

“Oh, um, maybe someday. I have other goals before that happens.” What kind of question is that?

“I can understand that, but Felix isn’t getting any younger.” She nods up at him.

“Mom,” Felix states firmly. “Please tell me you aren’t honestly saying I need kids. I forget everything; remember? And I’m the youngest. Kevin and Lewis don’t have kids. Work on them first.”

“Yeah, why aren’t you guys married with kids?” I’m glad I can turn the attention away from me.

“Well...we’re just so awesome that no woman knows how to handle it.” Lewis smirks at me.

“That’s his excuse. I have a girlfriend of three years. I’ll probably propose sometime this year,” Kevin tells us nonchalantly.

“Aw, that’s so sweet. Do you have a plan?” I bet it’s something amazing.

“Not yet. Still working on that part.”

“You need to make it memorable. Girls like that. Most girls think about it all their lives,” I inform him.

“They have their perfect proposal already thought up? That’s not helpful!” Kevin looks panicked.

“It’s true,” Marie chimes in.

“It is and you have to top the one she’s already thought of. Every girl has it.” I do my best not to look at Felix, but our eyes meet in the rearview mirror.

“So, what’s your perfect proposal, Abigail?” Felix looks at me.

“Yeah, tell us,” Lewis jumps in, but I think he’s being sarcastic.

“A girl never tells. So, I’m zipping it and wishing Kevin the best of luck.” There’s no way in hell I’m going to tell them my dream proposal.

“I bet it involves a book.” Of all people in the van, Marie pipes in.

I gasp. “Marie.” I try to be mad, but instead, I end up giggling. “Not entirely,” I finally add.

“What book?” Felix glances at me again. “Might as well just tell us. Who knows, maybe you’ll somehow help Kevin out with his planning. Don’t you want to be helpful?” He’s guilting me into telling. The jerk.

My face is turning bright red and I wish I was anywhere but in this van right now. I can’t believe he put me on the spot like that. “
Pride and Prejudice
. It’s the greatest love story.”

“Oh, so you fancy Mr. Darcy and his stubborn ways.” Felix grins.

“No, I
fancy
Elizabeth Bennett and her opinionated ways. Sometimes you have to defy family and culture to be heard and fall in love,” I correct him.

“I must have read a different version,” Felix says as he pulls into the apartment complex.

When everyone files out of the van, Marie gives me a hug and tells me how much fun she had. The guys all say the same thing and then they shuffle into Felix’s apartment. Felix takes my hand and we walk to my apartment. Once I open the door, he leans against the doorframe.

“Felix, I had a great day. Thanks.”

“Me too. Thanks for coming with us. My family loved you.”

“I like them, too. You’re so lucky to have them all.” Especially two loving parents, but I don’t say that out loud.

“I’m sorry for not telling them before.” He sounds sad and I know he didn’t mean to bring it up in the conversation.

“It’s fine. I didn’t really want to blurt out I killed them, so I left that out.” I shrug.

“You didn’t kill them, Abigail.” His voice is soft and gentle. It’s the first time he looks upset talking about my parents.

“Let’s not talk about it right now. I’ve had great birthday and I don’t want it ruined.”

“You should have told me about that.” The soft voice is gone and the tone I know so well is back. “I wouldn’t have asked if I had of known and you could have spent it with your sisters or doing something more fun than hanging out with my family and me.”

“Are you kidding? I had a blast. I really did. My sisters are taking me out to dinner tonight and Warren is…” I stop. This isn’t the best time to bring him up since Felix is mad that he didn’t know about my birthday. “Um, where are your parents sitting tomorrow?”