Playing The Hot Corner

Homecoming – Hey Monday

“We’ll be there in a few hours, Daddy. We’re just stopping in Sioux Falls right now for gas and such.” I held the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I picked a yellow Gatorade from the gas station cooler. Old habits die hard.

“Okay, hon,” my dad’s voice said through the phone. “I have your room ready, plus the guest room. There’s an air mattress if you want, too.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“I’m glad you’re coming home, sweetheart.”

“Me too. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay.”

I paid for the Gatorade and gas and went back out to the car and my roomies, who had already purchased their snacks.

“You really are an athlete. You drink Gatorade off the field.”

“Can’t help it. I’m addicted.” I pulled out of the gas station and back onto the highway. I glanced at the clock on my stereo – 7:30 PM, the third day of driving. “Almost there, guys. Almost there.”

~

“What’s that puffy thing?”

“You mean the Metrodome? That’s where the Twins and Vikings play. The Vikings are our pro football team,” I said, feeling really dumb that I had to actually explain that. I kept pointing out traditional Minnesota/Twins Cities icons to the Oregon natives, including The Basilica (which was lit up) and, when we passed it on the way to my house, the Cherry and Spoon in the Walker Art Sculpture Garden. When we finally pulled up in front of my house, it was about 1:00 in the morning. Not that any of us were fazed by that…we often stayed up way too late when we lived together in the dorms.

“Daddy?” I whispered loudly, knocking on the door. “Oh, wait. Just kidding.” I dug my key ring out of my bag, fumbling to pick the right one. I opened the door and stepped into the dark house, flicking on one light. “Well, here we are. Where I grew up.”

“I like the house,” Courtney said, looking around.

“Me too. Here, let’s go upstairs. Quiet, though. My parents are probably passed out.” We snuck upstairs and tossed our stuff in my room, and I stared out my window that faced the road. The light that I had grown to know as Joe’s room was on.

I went to the window and looked closer, almost pressing my nose against the cold glass. There was for sure movement going on in there.

“Jess? What’s up?”

“One sec, Kaitlyn. There’s someone in Joe’s room.”

“In Joe’s room?” Kaitlyn came to look out the window with me. “Did he live there?”

“Yeah. That was his room, but he’s not there. Or shouldn’t be.” The shadows on the wall moved some more, and then a figure crossed in front of the window.

“Oh. It’s just Jake.”

“Jake?”

“Joe’s brother.” I waited a second until Jake noticed that my light was on, then waved when he looked at me. His mouth opened in a silent greeting and he made a heart with his hands that he pressed up against the window.

“Aww, cute,” Courtney cooed.

“All the Mauers are like that. They love everyone, and everyone loves them back.”

“I guess you’re more loved than most, huh.”

“Well, maybe. I dunno.” I waved to Jake again and went back to my bed, still in the same spot it had been when I left.

“So when are we going to meet this Charlie guy?”

“I have a plan for that. He’s coming home starting tomorrow, and I’ve talked to his mom and she’ll tell me when he gets here. You’ll meet him, don’t worry.”

“And what about Joe?”

I paused as we went into the next room, the guest room where Kaitlyn and Courtney were staying. “I don’t know. We’ll see.” But I kind of knew that they wouldn’t be meeting him.

~

Okay, I texted Charlie’s mom. I’m ready.

I was lying on the Hacker’s front stoop, laid out across the top step with my eyes closed and my hands behind my head.

“Charlie?” I heard her call from inside. “Do you mind going out and getting the mail?”

The door opened and Charlie suddenly yelped in surprise. I tried to keep a straight face, but I couldn’t help but break out in a grin.

“Since when are you home?” he cried, pulling me up.

“Since about 1 this morning.”

“What for? Not hat I’m complaining, but why?” he asked, pulling me in and holding me tight.

“You won’t ever believe me.”

“Try me.”

“Guess who called me last week. Actually, only five days ago now.”

“I have no idea,” he said into my hair.

“I get to bring out my glove again. And that dumb wig, too, but most importantly my glove and bat.”

“Whoa, what?” Charlie said, looking me in the eye. “Who’s asking you to play?”

I explained the entire thing to him in a semi-abbreviated version. For a minute, he just stared at me, but when I mentioned that Gardenhire wanted me in the starting lineup for the upcoming season, his jaw dropped.

“Holy shit, girl, are you serious?”

“Why else would I be home this early? I’m meeting with Mr.Gardenhire tomorrow to go over training and stuff.”

“Wow,” Charlie mused, probably still a little shocked that his girlfriend was being asked to play for the Twins. “I can’t believe this.” He brought me into another hug. “Congrats, babe.”

I let out a breath. He was reacting a lot better than I expected. I thought he would be extremely bummed out or something.

“Hey, Jess?”

“Yeah?”

“Who are they? Those girls watching us?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, suddenly remembering my roomies. “Those are my roommates from Oregon. They wanted to meet you.”

“So they came here from Oregon?”

“Not just for that, dork.”

“Well, I think they can wait for one minute. I haven’t seen my girlfriend in two months,” he mumbled, nuzzling into my neck. I giggled a little, and when he came back to look at me, I brushed noses with him.

“You’re adorable!” Courtney yelled at the same time Kaitlyn shouted, “PDA! PDA!”

I sighed, laying my head on Charlie’s shoulder. “Welcome to my life at college.”

“I think you should have stuck around, then,” Charlie said, eyeing my playfully.

“Oh, hush. Come on.” I took his hand and took him out to meet Kaitlyn and Courtney.