Telescope Eyes

baseball and pizza hut

Micah smiled and cheered with Colton as they clapped their hands in unison with the crowd around them.

"Yay, Colton!" Micah glistened at the little boy. "Can you say 'go uncle Daniel'?"

"Go Uncle Daniel!" the boy cheered standing up and lifting his hands in the air as Daniel slid into home plate. The crowds cheers settled down and they all took their seats once again.

"Your brother is pretty good," Shelly commented, pulling her baseball cap further down on her eyes.

"Yeah, he's been playing since I can remember," Micah smiled, looking over to where John was slapping Daniel on the back while coaching the next batter. "My dad used to coach him when he was home."

Her friend bumped her shoulder reassuringly at the mention of her father, giving her a sympathetic smile which Micah returned. Colton hopped onto Micah's lap, bouncing up and down excitedly as they finished the last inning and Daniel's team celebrated in the middle of the field. The three walked over to the gates where Daniel stood, smiling at them.

"Colton!" He cheered, smiling at the little boy and high fiving him through the fence. "I'm glad you came, buddy. You've gotten so big!"

Colton grinned goofily, "I eat my veg-e-tables."

Daniel laughed softly at his pronunciation before standing up to where he was taller than Micah. "So uh, you brought Colton?" He said quieter. "You know John is my coach, how are you gonna explain this to him? This isn't really the place..."

Micah nodded her head, "He already knows, Danny." Her brother lifted her eyebrows at her asking for an explanation, but she shook her head saying, "Now's not the time."

Daniel rolled his eyes before introducing himself to Shelly and blushing as a younger girl walked over to them. Micah recognized her from the day they went ice skating with their mom.

"Hey Jessica," Micah smiled, giving her brother's girlfriend a hug. The girl returned it before turning to her boyfriend, receiving a kiss and a blush.

While the two shared quiet conversation Micah let her eyes shift to the boy who was walking over to them nervously, his hands in the belt loop of his white baseball pants. He ran a hand through his hair as he approached them.

"Hey," John said, giving Micah a weak smile, glancing at Daniel nervously.

"Colton, do you remember John?" She smiled, looking at her son.

The little boy smiled and nodded his head excitedly. "John, you should teach me to be like Daniel. He's good at baseball."

John chuckled and his face instantly brightened, "I'm sure I could do that. If your mom is okay with it of course."

Colton looked up her with his little lips in a pout, "Mama please."

Micah smirked and looked at John, "We'll see."

The four stood in an uncomfortable silence. Micah rocked on her heels and pursed her lips, looking around the field. She couldn’t even remember how many days she had spent here in her high school years watching John play baseball with their high school team. Back then she would have never anticipated this, whatever this even was.

“So, we’re going to get some pizza. Do you guys want to come?” Shelly asked, stepping up and smiling at John and Daniel.

Micah looked at her from the side of her eye and frowned before plastering a fake smile on her lips. John looked uneasily at Micah and then to Daniel as the young boy spoke, “Yeah, that sounds great.” He gave Jessica a quick peck on the lips before running to the dugout to get his bag.

Micah looked to John who was running a hand through his hair, “So, you wanna come?”

He bit his lip in contemplation for a second before nodding his head with a nervous smile. “Yeah, that sounds really nice.”

Daniel jogged back over with his bag over his shoulder. “I rode here with John so we’ll just follow you?”

Micah nodded her head and picked up Colton, putting him on her shoulders. He giggled and played with her hair as they walked silently back to her car. She glanced over at Shelly who had a guilty look on her face. Colton climbed into the car and Micah made sure he was buckled before driving to the Pizza Hut they always went to in high school.

“I just…I thought it may be good for you guys to be around Colton with other people first, less awkward?” Shelly said anxiously, showing that her actions were simply with good intentions.

Micah nodded her head and took a deep breath. She let her head rest against her steering wheel as they stopped at a red light, “Daniel doesn’t know…”

“Oh God,” Shelly sighed. “Mic, I’m sorry…I just assumed because you two are so close…”

“It’s all right,” she breathed. “He needs to know, you know?”

Micah agreed with John that she wouldn’t tell anyone…but Daniel, he was her brother. She felt so wrong keeping this from him when it really was a huge deal. She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as she drove, pulling into the old parking lot when they arrived. The place needed a new paint job, but that was just how she remembered it a few years ago as well.

Micah led the way inside finding her favorite booth from high school. It was big enough to fit ten (although they always seemed to fit more than that) and it sat in the corner to where you could look out at everyone else in the room as well as see all of the T.Vs. Daniel, Jessica, and John made their way in a few moments later and within moments all their drink orders were being placed on the table in front of them.

"Thank you," Micah said, before looking into the eyes of a familiar woman. Did she still own this place?

"Micah Crosby, good Lord," Miss Carter exclaimed joyfully.

The Carter family had privately owned this Pizza Hut for longer than Micah had even lived in Arizona. Their sons worked here through all of high school and Mrs. and Mr. Carter found pleasure in owning the business and running it the way they pleased. It would be the best customer service anyone would ever find at a restaurant.

"Hi Mrs. Carter," she replied nervously. "How have you been?"

"I've been just swell dear--oh my! Is that John O'Callaghan as well? Well isn't this quite the reunion! Where are your friends? Eric, Jared...and that girl--oh! Addison!" The aging woman gushed all at once.

Micah chuckled nervously and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're all still friends, you know," she replied leaving out the important details. John nodded his head in agree looking just as sick as Micah felt. Neither of them felt like a trip down memory lane--if anything they were both doing their best to forget about all of it.

"I'm glad to hear that," Mrs. Carter smiled. "Now, what can I get you all?"

Micah sighed in relief, thanking God silently that she didn't ask any further questions, such as who the little boy with familiar green eyes might be. They ordered their meals and Daniel took the liberty to take Colton to play some video games. John apprehensively tagged along.

"You guys really were known in this town weren't you?" Shelley chuckled, gesturing to Mrs. Carter.

Micah laughed and her cheeks heated up, "We used to cause a bit of trouble. Mrs. Carter's sons were on John's baseball team so she always seemed to know about it. She never told our parents though."

Shelley smiled, "You're doing a good job, Mic. I know you're stressing out, and I can't even imagine how hard this all is to handle, but Colton is a good kid. You're doing the right thing."

Micah sighed and rested her head on the table, looking over to where John was propping Colton on his knee so that he could play air hockey against Daniel. "How am I supposed to tell Colton that John is his dad? Like, what kid is going to understand that?"

"Maybe don't worry about that yet, just let him and John get to know each other. I mean, look at them," Shelley replied with a small smile on her lips.

Micah looked back over and couldn't help but to grin; John had his hand over Colton's and was helping him beat Daniel. Her son's smile was so big--bigger than it had been in such a long time.

Maybe this could work out.

Maybe they'd be just fine.
♠ ♠ ♠
Micah

Wow, this is such a filler I can't even handle it. I'm sorry this is so boring. I'm trying to learn how to manage my time again. I used to love this story so much. I'm trying to find the inspiration. Let me know if this is worth continuing.

-Ketely