Page 15 of Scoring in Cedarwood

“You don’t have to apologize to me. I walked in with little warning.” Tanner entered the room and shut the door. He hadn’t given Devlin and Raji much notice of his presence. “What you do and with whom is your business. If you’re happy, then great. I don’t care and you don’t need my permission anyhow.”

“It’s been a long day,” Devlin said from beside Raji. “Now you know our secret.”

“I’m cool with it.” Tanner dropped his bag on the floor. “But others might not be.”

“What did you need?” Devlin asked. “One of us?”

“You, but it’ll concern you both.” Tanner sat on the thin arm of the nearest chair. “I know the policy about dating sponsors. I’m not, so there’s no issue there, but what about the players dating each other? Is that prohibited? Daly and Selzer want to join the team. They’re together, but they’re married.” How would the coalition, bent on removing gays from Cedarwood, handle a happily married gay couple on their baseball team?

“I don’t believe there’s a rule, no.” Devlin glanced over at Raji. “It’s not encouraged because it can lead to issues on the field, but Daly and Selzer are exceptions to the rule—and they aren’t on the team as of yet. We’ve also not had to worry about anyone dating until now.”

“I see.” He mulled over the information. Devlin had explained the situation just fine. “Then there’s no problem with me being gay? Daly and Selzer are gay. Raji, you’re gay. Being homosexual isn’t a big deal, right?”

“No one cares if you’re gay,” Devlin said. “I’d appreciate decorum—meaning don’t screw anything and everything while getting on the local news doing it. Live your life. If you’re gay, then great. If not, that’s great, too.”

“I’m homosexual.” He hadn’t hidden it up to this point. Why start now? “I thought you knew.”

“I didn’t check and it wasn’t my business to know.”

Raji stood. “I should go.”

“Wait,” Tanner said. “If there’s a rule against being gay and living our lives as homosexuals, as long as we’re careful and mindful of our roles on the team, then I want to know. If there’s not, then why would another player be testing me? Why would they ask if I’m gay and act like it’s a big deal?”

“Tested?” Raji asked. “The only one doing any kind of testing is me. Not even the trainers handle drug tests.”

“Not drug testing.” Tanner folded his arms. “Look, I didn’t fight being traded because I wanted to try this market. I like Cedarwood—what I’ve seen of it. I want to play ball and inspire kids to take up the game. I’m not here to pimp myself out to call attention to the team. If there’s a fucked-up plan or whatever in place to ferret out guys for being gay or my being out will make me a target, I want to know.”

“Wait.” Devlin put his hands up. “Have you been approached by the coalition?”

“Not by name, but I’ve been tested to see if I’ll admit I’m gay or if I’ll make a pass at another player,” Tanner said.

Raji sighed. “We knew they’d find a way in.”

“We did,” Devlin muttered. He turned his attention to Tanner. “Who did it? Who got nosy?”

He didn’t want to name anyone. Careers could be at stake. “Why? I don’t want to get anyone fired.”

Devlin lowered his voice. “The coalition lives to make hash out of the lives of people in the LGBT community. You’ve met Colin and Farin Baker, right?”

Tanner nodded. He rather liked the brothers who ran the bookstore in town.

“They and their respective partners have been in the crosshairs of the coalition. Graffiti was sprayed on Colin’s vehicle, shit was delivered to his home, there have been incidents of public embarrassment, shouting matches, loss of business and things have been said to their children. It’s out of control.”

Tanner shook his head. He hadn’t heard any of those things in the rumors but knowing Devlin didn’t lie… Fear gripped him. Combined with what Zeppelin had said and the concern in Devlin’s eyes, he’d had enough. “That’s not how I want to live my life—worried about who’s watching me.”

“We never said you did,” Raji said. “But you should know these people are ruthless. I’ve been the target of offensive acts. I’ve never hidden the fact I’m homosexual, but I lost half of my patients when the wordfagwas spray-painted on the building. I’ve been followed and assaulted, too.”

Jesus.“Let them come at me.” He straightened his spine. “I’m ready. I’ll show everyone I’m not here to be pushed around. I can and will play at my highest level.” He wasn’t going to let anyone keep him from the game he loved.

“I hope you do.” Devlin sighed. “Be ready for hurled beer cups and food wrappers. Even if you’re playing well, some folks don’t like gay in their sports.”

He should’ve checked the market he’d been traded to before he’d come, but there hadn’t been time. Besides, he’d had no choice. He’d gone where he’d been offered a job. “I’ve been attacked before and I’m not backing down.”

Feelings he’d supressed came to the surface. His anger won out and he balled his hands. “I want everyone who comes to the ballfield to know we’re inclusive. I don’t have to wear my sexuality on my sleeve, but I’m not ashamed. I’m not going to stand by and watch a group bully everyone they don’t like or me because I might have a boyfriend. I’ve had some of my dearest friends commit suicide because they were pushed around for being homosexual. I’m not burying another friend.”

He stood and picked up his bag. He’d unleashed more frustration than he’d thought he still held. He’d come to Cedarwood and every other baseball team he’d played for to be a role model and damn it, he took his job seriously.

“I’m behind you all the way,” Devlin said. “I appreciate strong figures on my team.”

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