Page 24 of Unbearable

After the game, which we won 13-7, we decide to all go out for pizza, which is both a good thing and bad because one, Berkley follows us there, and two, I sit across from Raven. That part’s okay, but the fact that she’s not giving me any indication of where we stand now, that’s frustrating.

Nothing’s said between us until after orders are made and there’s a few pitchers of beer on the table.

“So, how do you feel?” Lenny asks Red, rubbing his back as he reaches for two pills in his pocket, more than likely pain medication.

With clay covering his chest where he dove for a line drive, he plays it off but I know Red and he’s in pain. “I’m good.”

Lenny shakes her head. “Bullshit.”

He had his chest cracked open in July and I know bones don’t heal that fast that he wouldn’t be in a little bit of pain come September.

He eyes me as if to say, go along with it. I do. The last thing I’d do is call him out on it.

“Where’s the old man with the pizza?” Rawley asks, growing impatient when our waiter hasn’t returned. He probably forgot we were even here.

“Should that guy even still be working?” Lenny watches him as he pours water in glasses, his hands shaking as he does so.

Nova looks up for a split second and then takes her crayons one by one out of the cup. “He’s so old his armpits stink.”

We all look at Nova and she shrugs, like that made perfect sense to her.

As we’re waiting for the old man to get to the table, Berkley walks by. “Good game, guys.”

Rawley talks to her, as does Mia and Eldon. I don’t say a word to her, neither does Raven, but I don’t miss the way she glances over at her.

Berkley leans over and ruffles Nova’s hair. “How you liking kindergarten, kiddo?”

Nova scowls at Berkley and turns away from her to face the back of the booth we’re in. “Don’t talk to me. I hate when you do that. You broke Ty’s heart.”

I have to admit while I wish she hadn’t said anything there’s a part of me that’s grateful for Nova because after her comment Berkley finally gets the hint and leaves.

Red nudges his daughter in the ribs. “Nova, knock it off and be nice to her.”

Nova used to be nice to Berkley, but I made the biggest mistake and confided in a five-year-old one Saturday night when I was drunk. Leaning in, I pull Nova to my side in the booth. She slides across the leather and stares at me.

“What?” The word is seethed out as she glares at her dad, and then darts her gaze at me.

“I told you that in private. You weren’t supposed to say anything.”

Nova eyes me carefully trying to understand what that means and then pushes a green crayon my direction. “My brain is too big to remember that. Now color the grass green.”

I do as she says because I never want to piss a kid off.

ALL THROUGH DINNER, I do my best to flirt with Raven unbeknownst to everyone else around us.

She’s standing under a street lamp talking to Lenny and Red, the foggy night creating a spotlight on her. A steady gust of wind shakes her hair loose and it falls in her face, tousled and tangled in the night. The hairs on my arms rise with a bite of wind chilling my bones.

With the hood of my sweatshirt pulled up, I take a step in the direction of her car, a vast white blanket of fog rolling through the parking lot. And then I stop, because I can’t go over there right now with Red and Lenny.

Turning on my heel, I make my way to my truck and head home. Alone. Once I’m at home, I regret it.

Why didn’t I invite her over?Stupid.

Call her.

Picking up my cell phone off the coffee table, I call her just about the time someone knocks on my door.

Imagine my surprise when I open to the door to find her standing outside of it, digging through her purse for my call.

---