It is the fourth game of the season in the last inning of the game, Red Sox versus Braves. Aubrey is pitching and Tyler Soto is coming to bat. Tyler and Aubrey have been playing on opposite teams since pee wee league. Tyler was a hard hitter but Aubrey had been practicing for this moment. Last year when Tyler’s team had won the league championship he had never let Aubrey hear the end of it. All year long it went on and on. I am the best hitter in the league. My dad practices with me every evening. I am going to be picked to bat for the Atlanta Braves before I get out of High school.
Aubrey doubted that Tyler would even pass the sixth grade much less make it to high school. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tyler stood in the batter’s box grinning at Aubrey. The Sox only needed this one out to win the game. The score was close but with one more out that would be the end of it. The Sox had won their last three games. And even though the Braves had lost their last game Tyler still stood their taunting him.

“Loosen up, Aubrey. Pitch it just like we practiced.” Coach Breckenridge knew just what Aubrey was feeling. He had been there himself thousands of times during his own games. Richard just wished the boy’s parents had been there to support him. He had yet to meet the elusive Mr. and Mrs. Gray. A shadow of annoyance crossed his otherwise quiet features.
Aubrey took the stance and made the pitch. Tyler was still grinning as he slammed the ball to right field. That was his mistake. Chase Irwin had been catching balls every night for the past 3 months in his back yard with his older brother. Chase caught Tyler’s ball easily and the game was over. Chase was the hero of the day. Aubrey didn’t mind that he didn’t pitch an out just that his team had won and Tyler Soto’s grin was gone. Aubrey couldn’t wait to tell his mom.

The teams lined up the shake hands. Tyler’s eyes met Aubrey’s “Good game, but be ready for next time.” and kept walking.

The Red Sox were going out for pizza. Coach Breckenridge joked that he may end up broke before the end of the season if they kept winning.
Strategically avoiding Corbin Wright’s newly divorced mom Richard crossed the parking lot looking for Aubrey who was gathering his gear. “Come on Aub, Tell your folks we’ll be back at six.”
“Thanks Coach but I gotta go.” He knew that his mom would just be getting home. She never made it to the games. Executives at Willard and Banks did not leave work early to see their sons play ball. Not that Kate Gray didn’t want to see her son play his favorite game; it was just that her job was too important for both of them. With only her income to support them she could not compromise any part of her job. Aubrey for his young age seemed to understand this perfectly. It had always been just the two of them. Aubrey always promised to come right home from the game to give her the play by play so it would seem as if she had actually been there. Kate knew the team went out for pizza if they won and she told Aubrey that he could go but he never did. She worried that he maybe he took too much on himself. He tried to be the man of the house.
Richard watched the boy run toward the parking lot. He was determined to meet these parents and give them a piece of his mind. Could not even one of them come to a game and watch Aubrey’s face light up every time it was his turn to pitch? A hot anger rose up from his stomach as a wave of pity sank over him leaving him confused by such emotion. He really felt for this kid.

He called to his assistant coach Pete to take the team to Pepy’s Pizzeria; he would meet them there after as errand. Richard almost missed it as Aubrey darted across the road and into the Oakwood Trails neighborhood. He watched Aubrey sprint down the sidewalk jumping over the cracks in the concrete.

Aubery was tall for his age with a waves of tawny hair in need of a haircut.
He started to cross the road as Aubrey turned onto Pin Oak Court. The sound of a car horn stopped him. He hadn’t bothered to look for traffic. The blue Camry swerved around him and turned onto Pin Oak. Ignoring the car he went on hoping that he had not lost Aubrey while crossing the road. Kate, her stomach clinched tight, saw

the man with a crazed mad look in his eyes, in the road looking as if he was following her son whom she had just seen turn the corner. She beeped to keep from running over him but at that moment there was nothing more that she wanted to do but just that. She increased her speed almost screeching into her drive. Aubrey was in the yard waiting for her tossing his ball in the air and catching it. Scottie was barking his usual 5 o’clock greeting.
Kate didn’t bother to say hello. “Aubrey get in the house now there is a strange man wondering the neighborhood.”

“That would be me. Do you always drive like Mario Andretti?”

Kate already had the mace from her key chain in her hand. “Go away now!. Aubrey get in the house. Call 911.”
This woman was not what he was expecting, slender and perfectly manicured. High maintenance came to mind. Her green eyes had not left his. Her jaw set and mouth thin with anger. Fear writhed inside her. Could she protect her son from this man who was built like a tank. Richard had not expected to be thought of as a criminal. Stunned he tried to speak but not before Aubrey.
“Mom, it’s the coach.”

Richard realizing he had just scared the wits out of her tried to look harmless.
“Your baseball coach? She turned on him. “Why are you following my son?”
Aubrey looked just as puzzled.

“I am sorry. I never meant to scare either of you. I was watching Aubrey to try to meet his parents picking him up. Then I saw him come across the street and into this neighborhood. I never knew that he walked to the field.”

Kate still hadn’t backed down with the mace still pointed at him. “Aubrey, go let Scottie out in the back yard. Keep him on the leash.”

“I know Mom.”

The house was older but neat. The yard needed mowing. A wooden 8 foot fence surrounded the back and side yard.
Richard stood very still but was starting to get annoyed. Was she going to put the mace away? And living this close to the field, why did she not make it to the games. His anger was building again.

Kate’s face was pink from embracement and frustration. The way this man was looking at her made her nervous and more than a little angry. Why had he followed her son home. None of his other coaches had bothered to want to meet her.
Kate put the mace away. “Thank you. Mr. Breckenridge, isn’t it? It was nice of you to be concerned for Aubrey. Goodbye.” Her eyes were hot. IF they had been lasers he would have had several holes burned through him by now. She also looked exhausted.

She started determinedly toward the door.

“Wait. I think we started off on the wrong foot. Aubrey never has any family at his games to support him. He never comes for pizza or ice cream. I just wanted to find out why no one seems to care enough to be there for him? Richard’s frustration made him speak before he thought. “Aubrey is a good kid and is really good at baseball. Why don’t you every come to watch him play?”
Kate took a deep breath. Guilt ate away at her during every missed game and now here was someone else to judge her for her failure as a parent.
“Couldn’t Mr. Gray come? It would mean so much to Aubrey if even just one of his parents could see him play. You should have seen him pitch today. It was a great game.”
Kate’s face tightened. She tried not to ever think of Aubrey’s father. He was just a bad dream in the middle of the night but Aubrey was the sunrise.
This man really knew nothing. “Mr. Breckenridge, There in no Mr. Gray. I am all there is and I know that is not enough. I really do not need you shoving that in my face. I would love nothing more than to see my son play. But I have to work. Aubrey does understand that which is why he always comes right home to give me the play by play.”

“ I do come the Saturday games. He has permission to go for pizza or ice cream. I think he comes home because he is afraid that I might be lonely without him. Which is altogether another sort of guilt. I don’t know what makes you think that you have any right or cause to judge me.” She would have never said so much. After the day she experienced then to come home to this just made her feel small and powerless.

Aubrey walked up behind her with a large white and tan greyhound following him. Scottie came and stood at Kate’s side. She scratched his ears absently. “Coach, stay for dinner. We’re having pizza. We always have pizza on game night.”

She just stared at him saying nothing. Hoping he would get the not so subtle hint that she did not need him staying for dinner. Of course she should not say so without explaining why to Aubrey. But as soon and the coach left she was going to have a long talk with her son about giving out invitations without speaking privately to her first.

Aubrey looked so hopeful, Richard did not disappoint him. He knew it was a stand off. Of course I will, if it is alright with your mother?”

“Of course it is” She said tersely.

As they walked toward the door Richard couldn’t help himself. “We always go out for pizza after winning a game but Aubrey never comes with us.”

Kate felt the heat rising to her cheeks. “He has always had permission.”

“But that would mean that Mom would have to eat dinner alone.” Aubrey said easily.

Suddenly Kate smiled. She had had no idea that this was why Aubrey had never gone out with the team. “ And how do you know that one night I just night like to eat alone and have the pleasure of my own company.” Aubrey laughed and Scottie barked. This was an old joke between them.

“Come on in Coach. Mom, I already called Pepy’s and ordered. I got two since Coach was here.” The little scamp. He had ordered before inviting Richard. What was he up too? Maybe this was his way of having pizza with the team. Kate could live with that when she thought of it that way.

Walking in the house Kate took off high heel shoes. She hated wearing shoes at home. Richard did the same. His cleats were dirty from the ball field.

“Aubrey Gray. Stop right there. Don’t you dare go down that hall with those shoes on your feet. Socks off too, they are filthy.”

“Ok, ok.” He went into the mud room to change

“And bring Ryan’s slippers for Mr. Breckenridge.”

“Richard, please call me Richard.” Who was Ryan he wondered.

Alright, Richard. I’m Kate. Make yourself comfortable. I am going to change.

“Here are the slippers Coach. Mom gets ballistic about dirty shoes on the carpet.”

“Thanks Aub. Who do these belong to anyway?” , men’s navy bleu house shoes that perfectly fit him.

“Oh, just Ryan’s. He won’t mind. He and Libby don’t get to come over too uch anymore since the baby took over their lives”, he sound like he was quoting verbatim.

“So Ryan and Libby are some friend of your mother?”

Yeah, cousins of something like that . I used to so over to their house after school, when I was a kid.”