May 24, 2440 – 6:15:00 PM
“It’s him,” L’tani said looking at her phone and looking back to Julia.
“Don’t make him come find you. Answer the call,” Julia said completely flustered and letting her hands do the talking as much as anything, which was inevitable when your family was as much Italian as it was Spanish.
“Hello,” she said wincing as she accidentally accepted the video connection.
“Hey,” he said and added “Hey Julia,” when he saw the other young woman.
“Lord Marmaduke, I was just going. Nice to see you, Lord Marmaduke” she said with a wave and a sprint to the door. She would get the details later. “Later,” she whispered towards L’tani with a wave.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt. Are you almost ready?”
“Ready for…” she said looking at the phone notifications and realized it said date night, ten minutes ago. “Be right down.”
L’tani had thought the idea of dresses were completely frivolous when she first was introduced to the concept, but the fact they slipped off easy enough so she could just step out of one and into another made up for a lot of impracticality. The fact that they flattered her was just bonus. She let the yellow and brown material settle with a shake of her hips and wondered exactly what that made a man like Matthew think of her. The Cosmo magazine suggested by Julia said it should be a subtle mating hint.
Matt looked at his watch after noting her coming down the stairs for all to see.
“Well there she is. I was worried I was going to need to find another pretty woman to go watch baseball with.”
“Oh shut up, Matt,” Gloria Riddle snapped thumping his ribs with a handful of rings, knowing she scored big as he audibly ooffed.
“Do you see the sort of abuse I put up with to be graced with your beauty,” Matt laughed giving L’tani a hug, before making introductions. “This is Glory and her husband Frank. They put everything together for tonight. You know Angelina, but have you and Floyd met?”
“Only briefly,” L’tani said, trying to think the same question most people have when they meet Angelina and Floyd as a couple for the first time. How do they have sex with a nearly two foot height difference. “It is nice to meet everyone, sorry I am late.”
“No worries, the world waits on me. It is good to be the king,” he laughed offering his arm this time with a bigger audible oof and a pointy Japanese elbow caught him in the ribs. “More abuse.”
Matt stood upon an upturned round bale outside the baseball complex of his pleasure park. Eighteen fields including Four Little League World Series compliant ones sat inside the park. To him these fields were the crown jewel of the park. They represented the love seven of the eleven freeholders shared for the game. He looked around for a few minutes as the crowd settled down. He blew a few kisses to the teenage girls, saw awe from the ones he wasn’t related to and gagging gestures from the one-in-three he was. There was also a very rude set of signs and gestures from one girl who must be a catcher. He refrained from answering in kind since the world was watching.
“Welcome my fellow baseball fans,” Matt called to the assembled teams and the crowd which included a few sports writers and early press junket reporters. In a few minutes the gates will open for the first exhibition night of the season. I want to thank Frank and Glory Riddle for getting this arranged on such short notice. I want to thank all the families who helped make it happen. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has made our new V’ren neighbors feel welcome. I especially want to thank everyone who came up with extra gear and took the time to practice with the V’ren youngsters who will be also be taking the field tonight.”
Matt gave everyone a moment to cheer before he repeated it in V’ren.
“It’s time to play ball,” he called out and hopped down the five feet. He gave Angelina a look that said ‘see knees are just fine’.
Matt examined the roster really quickly and was pleased to see three V’ren names on it, he looked at the other one and was equally pleased. He looked to L’tani sitting next to him in the booth and she seemed genuinely excited. His fields didn’t run to jumbotrons, but they did command a wall of affordable screens.
“To determine home field advantage tonight we will start with a traditional hand over hand with Team Captain Emily Scott for the Junior Dukes and newcomer Slil Jerr for the Junior Marms. On the count of three,” Matt called. “One… Two… Three…” he called and watched the hands go one over another. “The Marms have homefield. Well done girls. Now, Play Ball!”
“Here is the wind up, and the pitch. Pop fly to deep left field, caught by R’pol, oh he is not done, firing off White at short tagging K’weq for the double play and the end of the first inning. Let’s give it up for how well our V’ren newcomers are picking up the game,” Matt called and hoisted a beer and flagging, finally able to snag a dog from the cardboard tray that had been brought out earlier.
“This is a very interesting game,” L’tani said picking up his beer now that he had finally reached for something labeled Seattle Dog, from the shared sampler platter as he called it.
“Glad you are enjoying it.”
“I am glad they are enjoying, she said gesturing at the crowd which was mostly V’ren.
“Me, too,” he said reclaiming the beer, and flagging down the Uriko for more beers. Play by play was thirsty work.
“Ground ball just out of Daisy’s reach letting Pemm reach first and in the confusion Slil Jerr is sprinting towards home. She slides for the plate.”
“Safe!” called the umpire.
“What an exciting night for Freehold Baseball. While the teams take a well earned breather get yourself another beer and join me in a traditional celebration of tonight and baseball’s wonderful history.
“Take me out to the ballgame…”
