Amanda
“Mom said you’re going on a date,” Alec says with a cocky grin.
I quickly turn toward Jase. Thankfully, his attention is focused on our father as they work together to pick the last of Dad’s tomatoes. The small garden near the back of the yard is almost done for the season. Many of the earlier producing plants have been harvested and removed.
Jase loves coming over to my parents’ and getting dirty with Grandpa. He’s always excited when the plants start to grow. My dad starts all of them from seed late in the winter. Then together he and Jase plant them in the tiled ground when the weather starts to warm. It’s surprising how much Jase knows about plants at only five years old.
“Shh,” I hiss at my brother. “First, she shouldn’t have told you, and second, I don’t want Jase to hear you.”
“What? Jase can’t know his mom is a woman?” My brother’s eyes open wide. “I mean, I know you don’t have much of a rack, but I didn’t think that the fact that you’re a girl—as in the whole world is either girls or boys—was a secret.”
I shake my head. “Jerk,” I say lovingly. “The secret is that I’m going out. And it’s only one date for one night. It’s a blind date. I’m doing it to shut Mom and Sally up.”
Alec’s laughter roars through our parents’ backyard. “Good luck with that. Mom, you might have a chance. But Sally? Nope. She’ll never shut up.”
That makes me smile. “Point taken.”
“I want to hear all about it. You know I need to approve.”
My smile fades as heaviness settles on my chest. “Alec, I can’t.”
My brother reaches out and grabs my hand. His smile wanes a bit as he nods. We’re not quite two years apart in age. He’s older and was a grade ahead of me in school. He was in the same class as Jackson. That’s how Jackson and I became a thing. He was one of Alec’s best friends and always around. Jackson went from being a pesky big-brother type to becoming the love of my life. The transition happened so slowly that I can’t recall when one ended and the other began. Forever it seemed like we were together, until we weren’t.
“I get it,” Alec says. “You think that I don’t think about him. When the other guys and I are playing softball, or hanging out at Wayne’s Place after a game, sometimes I think of him and how none of it is fair. Jackson should be there with us. Hell, we lost the game the other night because Stivey couldn’t catch a fly ball that sailed all the way back to the fence. My first thought was that Jackson should have been playing left field.”
Swallowing back my tears, I smile. “He liked outfield, especially left, so he could show off his arm.”
“Shit! He had an arm. I can still feel the burn through my glove when he’d put some speed behind it.”
“This is different.”
Alec turns to make sure Dad and Jase are still occupied. When he turns back, he shrugs. “It is, but it isn’t. I wasn’t married to the guy, but I loved him.” He softly punches my arm. “Don’t make me get all sentimental. The thing is that Jackson knew the risk for his service. I knew the risk. We all did when we were there. He died loving what he was doing. He was so happy about Jase and being a dad. And he was proud to be a soldier. He was living. He wouldn’t want you to stop.”
A lone tear leaks from the corner of my eye. “I hate you.”
Alec smiles. “Yeah, sis, I hate you too. Have fun.”
“Why did Mom even tell you?”
“Because Dad’s bringing Jase to my softball game Friday night.”
“He is—”
“Mom!” Jase yells as he comes running toward us with a big red tomato in his grasp. “Look at this giant to-mado.”
“It’s big,” I agree.
“As big as a softball,” Alec says as he kneels down to Jase’s height.
“Uncle Alec, Grandpa said we’re going to see you play ball Friday night.” Jase then turns to me and his blue eyes open wide. “Mom, are you coming too?”
That familiar ache settles in my chest. I don’t like to be away from him.
“No way,” Alec answers before I can. “It’s a guy thing. Just you, Grandpa, and me.”
“Really? A guy thing!” My son is practically bouncing with each word. No. Jase is bouncing as his grip on the tomato tightens.
“Hey buddy,” I say. “Why don’t you give me that tomato before you squeeze it and it busts wide open?”
He hands me the tomato and tilts his head. “Am I strong enough to break it?”
“You are.”
“Like Uncle Alec,” Jase says as he flexes his tiny arm, seeing a muscle that’s barely there. Then his smile dims. “Mom, is it okay if I do a guy night? Will you miss me?”
“I will, but I’ll be okay, but what about Grandma?”
“Oh, she’s meeting us for ice cream after,” Alec volunteers. “At Roy’s.”
As he completes the word cream, Jase is off running toward the house and shouting for his grandma. All I can catch is that they’re going to Roy’s and not the concession stand.
“See, Jase is going to have fun Friday night. You should too.”
I let out a deep breath. “What about you? When are you going to settle down with one lucky lady?”
My brother puffs out his chest. “That’s the thing. There’s no way to keep all this man with just one lady. It would obviously be too much for one woman to handle.”
I laugh. “Yes, that is the rumor on the street.”
“Because many have tried. You know, it really wouldn’t be fair to the ladies of this here city...” He leans back even farther. “Or state...hell, country. Alec Wells is not the tying-down kind.”
My hand flies up as I scrunch my brow. “Okay, bro. More information than your sister needs to hear.”
His lips quirk in an uneven smirk. “That wasn’t what I meant...”
“Yes, watch what guy things you share with Jase on Friday night.”
“Don’t worry about that. Uncle Alec will teach him how to be a girl magnet. Seriously, kindergarten is where it starts. I’ll set him straight on ponytails and dimples. I’ll give him the lowdown on all the important stuff. Rule number one: stay away from drugs and girls who eat paste.”
As I turn and look out over the yard, I gently toss the tomato from one hand to the other. “Do you ever think of doing something totally out of character?”
Alec snorts. “Amanda, this is me. All the time!”
“Yeah, right. I’m just not sure I can.”
“Hold on,” he says as he rushes away toward the garage. When he comes back he has his softball bag, the one he keeps in the trunk of his car. Unzipping the bag, Alec pulls out an aluminum bat and pushes it my direction. “Trade me for the tomato.”
My gaze narrows. “Why?”
“Out of character, sis. You can do it.”
“Are you kidding? Look at this...” I hold it up. “...it’s big and juicy. I could make a great salad for lunch tomorrow at work.”
“Which is in character, or you could live a little.”
Slowly, I hand him the softball-sized tomato and reach for the bat.
Walking backward and palming the tomato, Alec lowers his voice to the tone we used as kids when we were planning secrets from our parents. “You’ll only have one chance. Don’t blow it.”
I shift my feet to the side, bend my knees, and after adjusting my hands, lift the bat in the air.
“You ready?” Alec asks as he moves to a pitcher’s stance.
“What if I miss? I haven’t played in years.”
He winks. “It’s like riding a bike.”
“How can everything be like riding a bike?”
“Everything is. Now, watch me. Keep your eye on the ball.”
“It’s a tomato.”
His arm moves, a nice controlled underhand pitch. As the fruit flies toward me, I hear Jase and my mother yell at the same time.
“Mom?”
“Amanda!”
I pull the bat back and swing. The connection happens with a thud. All at once, the air fills with seeds, and tomato juice rains down.
“What in the world?” Mom asks.
“That was so cool. Can I try?” Jase asks as he gets closer. “Mom, you have sprinkles all over you.”
I look down at the red droplets and small seeds splattered over my blouse. As I hand the messy bat back to my brother, I wipe more tomato remnants from my cheeks.
Mom’s head is moving back and forth as she takes in the scene. “What are you two doing? And here I thought I had grown children.”
“Don’t give her a hard time,” Alec says. “She was just—”
Before he can finish, I interrupt. “Looking for someone.”
Mom’s smile grows and she nods approvingly. “I think she’s closer than she was yesterday.”
“Can I hit a tomato?” Jase asks, bouncing on the tips of his toes. “Can I?”
Alec looks my direction.
“Do you want to get sprinkles?” I ask.
Jase’s head bobs up and down.
Mom waves her hand. “I don’t care. But only one. I’d like to get a chance to eat some of those.”
“Sure,” I say to both Jase and Alec. “Out of character.” Next, I turn to Jase. “You have to hit it the first time. If you miss, it will probably break.”
“I can do it,” he says, lifting the too-big bat.
“And then it’s home for a bath. No sleeping with sprinkles.”
“Oh, Mom!” Jase and Alec whine at the same time just before a new tomato sails through the air.
Thud!
My mom and I laugh as Jase turns our way with a big grin and covered in red polka dots.