What Endures (19 page)

“So Jason, when do you think you'll be going back to the Mariners?” Bill asked. "Obviously, you've missed spring training but there's no reason you can't complete your rehab in Triple A for a bit and then go back."

"Triple A?" Bruce countered. "That's a waste of time." He turned to Jason. "Look Jase, you're not a 22 year old anymore. You can't be wasting your time working your way through the farm system."

"Well, he can't just go back to his job like nothing happened," Bill argued. "His leg alone is gonna take some work. Then there's the timing on his swing."

Megan glanced at Jason, noting the discomfort on his face. He was staring at his plate, not looking at either his father or grandfather as they debated the various options of his return to major league baseball. She noticed he had quickened his eating, as if he wanted to be done with the dinner as quickly as possible.

"You talk to the team doctor Jase?" Bruce asked.

When it became clear that Bruce expected a response to his question, Jason stopped eating and shook his head. "Not in a while."

Bruce looked surprised. "Why not?" Jason shifted in his chair, keeping his eyes on his plate."Jase?"

"Jason is complying with his rehab plan and those doctors update the team as necessary," Megan cut in.

Bruce narrowed his eyes at her. "I was talking to my son."

Jason's head snapped toward his father. "Megan's right."

Bruce's expression instantly softened. "I didn't say she wasn't, son."

"The food's delicious, huh?" Arlene cut in. "Let's not ruin it with talk of baseball. It's Jason's birthday after all."

"Kind of frou-frou for my taste," said Bruce. He directed his gaze to Diana. "It's incredible you and Marie have managed to convince people to pay so much for all of this." Bruce looked over at Jason. "Nothing like a good old fashioned steak on the grill, right son?"

Jason looked from his mother to his father and then back down at his plate. Megan saw the tension in his jaw and without thinking, placed a hand on his leg. His gaze shifted from his plate to her and a look of understanding passed between them. She gave his leg a gentle squeeze before she resumed eating, knowing the sooner they finished, the sooner they could get out of there.

"You know," Bill began, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "I'm surprised the Mariners aren't pressing you more Jase. I mean, you're their best shot for a pennant, maybe even the Worlds."

“Bill!” Arlene cut in sharply. “What did I tell you about talking baseball tonight?”

“Arlene, I’m just-“

“Just don’t!” Arlene’s tone was sharp and definitive. The kind of tone that invited no arguments from anyone. Bill looked like he was going to protest but one look at his wife’s expression and he quickly picked up his fork and resumed eating.

Megan looked between Arlene and Bill, shaking her head slightly. She would never forget the first time she had met Jason’s grandparents. That dinner had been something else. At the time, Jason’s grandmother had struck her as the stereotypical obedient wife, with that sweet, submissive demeanor. Megan had quickly learned that underneath that sweet exterior was a razor sharp temper.

“So, uh,” Diana began, looking as uncomfortable as Megan felt. “How long were you planning on staying in Harbor Bay?”

Diana hadn’t directed the question to either of them specifically but from the look on Jason’s face, she decided to handle it. “It’s kind of open-ended right now.”

Bruce looked at them in surprise. “Open-ended? What about getting back to the Mariners'? You can't afford to waste time here. I mean Triple A isn't ideal but at least it's something."

“I don’t know,” Jason mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

“You don’t know?” Bruce repeated incredulously. “I mean aren’t the Mariners-“

“Bruce.” Arlene shot her son a warning glare.

Bruce looked at his mother briefly before he smiled. “Sorry. It’s fine. You take your time. I’m sure the Mariners will be accommodating. After all, you’re their star outfielder.”

Jason said nothing, only vaguely nodding as he continued to focus on eating. Again, they lapsed into silence. Somehow, though, the clinking of the silverware against the china seemed that much louder to her.

“Actually,” said Bruce, his expression and voice conversational. “It’s good that you’re going to be staying in Harbor Bay a while. We can finally have that lunch. You’ve been pretty busy the past week but that should ease up a little right?”

The last part of that was directed at her and she forced herself to ignore it. It wasn’t like she was deliberately keeping Jason away from his father. Sure, she didn’t push Jason to contact Bruce, but she gave him the messages. Whether he chose to return them or not was completely up to him. But she knew Bruce didn’t see it that way. No matter how many years had passed, or how many more would pass, in Bruce’s eyes, she would always be the person who had taken Jason away from him. Bruce, of course, never seemed to consider whether his own behavior had at all contributed to the distance between father and son.

“I guess,” Jason mumbled.

“Are you still having the baseball camp here Megan?” Diana cut in.

“I, um, haven’t really thought about that.”

“What baseball camp?” Jason asked, turning to her with a curious expression.

“It’s for the foundation,” she explained. “You have a two day baseball camp for disadvantaged kids every summer. Well, in the past two summers really.”

His eyes flashed briefly before he nodded. “Sounds good. You’re not doing it this year?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t know if you’d be up for it.”

“Right,” he said softly and resumed eating his dinner.

“I mean if you want to then we-“

“It’s fine, Megan,” he said quietly. “You know what’s best for the foundation.”

She caught Bruce’s look at her and again forced herself to ignore it. Once more, silence enveloped the room and all that could be heard was the clink-clink of the silverware. She had been at tense and unpleasant meals before but this one was definitely taking the cake. Even the delicious food couldn’t override the incredibly awkward and strained ambiance.

“You should do it,” Bill said abruptly. They all turned to him. “Do the charity camp. It’s a good cause and it’ll be a good way to ease yourself back into the game.”

“Bill!”Arlene bit out angrily.

“What?” Bill protested. “I’m just-“

Arlene dropped her fork against her plate with a loud clatter. “All I want is one. . .one!. . .family meal without sports, especially baseball, coming up! Is that too much to ask?”

“Mom, it’s-“ Bruce tried to placate his mother.

“I’m sick of it!” Arlene said through gritted teeth. “One meal! That’s all I ask! Especially tonight!”

“It’s not like we can avoid it,” Bill retorted, clearly trying to hold onto his temper. “Your grandson is a professional baseball player for God’s sakes!”

“I don’t care! I’ll bet even. . .” Arlene stopped as if searching for words. “Even Cal Ripkin’s family doesn’t spend half the time this family does talking and analyzing and
obsessing
about that stupid game. It’s ridiculous and I’m sick to death of it!” She turned on her husband who seemed to shrink underneath her angry glare. “You, Bill, you’ve always been the worst of it! Since you were young that’s all you could think about! I should have known it when I met you.”

“Now Arlene,” Bill began but was cut off.

“It’s pathetic! Pathetic and downright sad! So you didn’t have the illustrious baseball career you’d always dreamed of. . .so what! You had a life. A damn good one! And you couldn’t appreciate it! Oh no! Not you. No, you had to taint our son with your obsession and in the process our grandson as well!”

“Well, I’m mighty sorry!” Bill snapped, finally losing his temper. “I’m sorry that my tainting things got Jason here a wonderful life. Big houses, financial security, admiration from millions.” He shot a disgusted look at his wife. “I’m such a terrible person.”

“And Bruce?” Arlene shot back. “What did that get him?”

“Mom!”

“I’ll tell you what it got you,” Arlene shot back at her son. “Two failed marriages and a son who barely talks to you. It got you a lifetime of bitterness and anger.”

“Baseball didn’t wreck my marriage,” Bruce denied. He cut a sharp glance toward Diana. “Faithlessness did.”

“You cheated on Dad?” Jason’s voice was quiet but the room had gone silent the minute he had spoken. “That’s what happened?”

Diana looked horrified. “Jason. . .”

“When?” Diana looked away, not answering. “
When?
” Jason demanded.

“When you were ten,” she whispered.

Jason’s eyes widened. “That’s why you left then wasn’t it?” Diana’s expression was agonized, her eyes pleading with her son to understand. Megan felt for Jason’s mother. They had hashed this out years ago, when Jason had been in college. There had been a period of estrangement while Jason had worked out his anger at his mother but they had made amends. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for Diana to relive all of this again. “Wasn’t it?”

Diana flinched at Jason’s raised voice. “Jason, you knew about this and I. . .”

“I don’t care!” Jason exclaimed. “I don’t care that I knew. I don’t care if I . . .” He slammed his fist on the table causing his dishes to rattle. “Fuck,” he muttered as he began to rub his head.

“Honey, please. . .” Diana pleaded.

"Stop it," Megan ordered. Her voice quiet but stern. "Just stop it. He doesn't need this." Megan placed her hand on Jason’s leg. "Jason."

He shook his head, turning to his father. “Was that why you. . .that summer. . .you were relentless. You kept at me the whole time.” He shook his head. “It was because of mom?”

“I was trying to help you,” Bruce protested.

Jason shook his head. “No, I knew you were mad about something and you. . .”

"I was mad at your mother but can you blame me? She
left
us son." Bruce shot a derisive look at Diana. "But I stayed. I tried to help you."

"Help me?" Jason cried. "That's what you called that?"

"Look at where it got you son. If it wasn't for me. . ."

"I think that's enough," Megan cut in.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Bruce shot her an angry glare. "Just mind your damn business. You're not even a part of this family anymore."

"Don't talk to her that way!" Jason yelled at his father.

"Look, son. . ."

Abruptly, Jason stood, his chair clattering to the ground behind him. “I gotta get out of here.” Without another word, he strode out of the room. A moment later, they all heard the door open and then thump shut.

Diana turned to Bruce angrily. “You’re unbelievable! How could you just ambush him with something like that?”

“Ambush?” Bruce retorted. “Ambush would be me walking into our home and finding you with that asshole! Ambush would be having you trying to take Jason away from me after you cheated, after you left us! Don’t talk to me about ambush!”

“Oh you want to play the fault game Bruce? How about you pitting Tyler and Jason against each other? Or you undermining my friendship with Marie because your fragile ego couldn’t take the fact that we both left you? I’ve made mistakes and I’ll gladly own up to them but I’ve never set out to destroy anyone. You can’t say the same can you Bruce?”

Megan had always been brought up to be respectful of her elders, which was always severely tested when she was dealing with Jason’s family. Whatever remnants of politeness she always held with them disappeared in that instant. She slammed her palm against the table, sending silverware clattering.

“What is wrong with all of you?” she cried angrily. She felt an odd sense of satisfaction at being able to finally ask the question that had been lodged in her head from the moment she had met Jason’s family.

“Don’t try and turn this against us!” Bruce threw back at her. “If you hadn’t kept Jason away from-“

“I didn’t keep him away from you! But after tonight it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea!”

“Don’t you threaten-“

“I’m not the one who makes threats around here!” she yelled, losing the grip on her temper. She leveled Bruce with a withering glare. "But don't push me." Before anyone could say anything further, she forcefully pushed her chair back and went after Jason.

#

It took her a full five minutes before she found him. Five long minutes where every possible horrific scenario flashed through her head. She had checked the front first, but realized the instant she was out there that she had the car keys so Jason couldn’t have driven away. She did look up and down the street briefly to see if she could spot him walking but the street was deserted.

And as good as it had felt to tell off Bruce, and the rest of Jason's family, for their display during dinner, she couldn't help but feel guilty at her part in the ugliness. And no doubt, she had just made things worse with Bruce, which didn't help Jason at all. Both were things she hadn't wanted to happen tonight.

She was making her way around the back of the house when she spotted his slumped figure on the bench near the entrance to the garden. She approached him cautiously. After what had happened inside, she didn’t know what his emotional state would be like. She couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“Hey,” she said quietly when she was close enough for him to see her.

He glanced up briefly before he went back to staring at the ground. “Hey.”

She sat down next to him on the bench. “This is going to sound like a stupid question but are you okay?”

He shook his head. “I may not remember things and I probably don’t even know much of anything but-“ He stopped and gestured toward the house. “That is one fucked up family.” He sighed heavily. “That’s
my
family.”

“They have their moments.”

He chuckled, but it was devoid of all humor. “Like the ones in there?”

She sighed. “There were good ones too.”

He looked at her, his expression somber. “Was I ever like that?”

“Like what?”

He stood up agitatedly. “Did I seek people out to wound and maim? Was I a mean son of a bitch?” He shook his head. “You know what? Never mind. I already know the answer to that.”