34
Wes
Laying there, holding Kristin in my arms while she slept gently, gave me a chance to reflect on the last day or so. I think I knew the moment I put my suit on to go to the team bus that I was never getting on that bus to go to the airport. There was too much of a pull to bring me back to Chandler. I had done everything I thought I could do in baseball by this point. Even though I had never been to a World Series, I felt like I had accomplished everything I could, and there might not ever be a better way to go out than this. When I reached the team bus, I pulled Pete Doyle aside to let him know about my decision. Pete didn’t take it as well as I had hoped he would. He ranted, raged, and cursed about abandoning the team, letting them down, and how I owed it to them and the fans to keep playing. The other players were watching and listening as all this went on, and I calmly stood there and let Pete have his say.
Anton Rogers lumbered out and told Pete to get on the bus. He and I walked a few steps away from the bus as I explained to him that I was retiring.
“Why now, man?” Anton asked.
“I’ve got too much going on at home to keep traveling like this Anton. I have a teenage daughter that needs me, a mother who is sick and… and someone that I care about deeply that I need with me. The time is right for me.”
“People are going to say you’re a quitter, Wes,” Anton said honestly.
“Let them say what they have to,” I told him. “I can take it. I’m sorry if I’m leaving you guys short, and I’m sorry if I let you down, Anton, but I have to do this.”
“You’re not letting me down, Wes,” Anton said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “You do what’s right for you and your family. It’s a game, man. People forget about that and take it way too seriously. I’ll be fine, the team will be fine. They’ll bring some kid up to play, and I’ll work him into shape like the rest of them. You go home, take of your daughter, and take care of that girl, KA. She must be someone pretty special.”
“She is,” I answered. We shook hands, and Anton leaned in and gave me a hug.
“You bring those girls down to Pittsburgh when we’re in town Wes,” Anton said to me. “I need to meet them.”
“You got it.”
Anton turned and walked back to the bus. “Let’s get this bus moving!” he yelled as he boarded. I watched the bus pull out before I went back and gathered my things from my locker. I walked out of the stadium and back to my hotel to check out and gather my car. Before I started the car up, I checked my phone and saw the message from Kristin about how she was falling for me. I smiled and started the car, and then called Dad to let him know I was coming home, again.
I explained my decision to him, and he was silent for a moment before answering.
“Wes, if you know this is right for you, then you know we’ll stand behind you. If it’s time, it’s time,” Dad told me.
Dad then went on to explain to me how Kristin had come over that day and night, and what had transpired between Mom, Izzy and Kristin, and how Kristin had stayed to watch the game with them. I was elated, to say the least.
“Everything you said to me just confirms that I made the right choice Dad,” I said to him.
“I thought it might,” he said with a laugh. “You drive safely now. If you get tired, stop somewhere and come home tomorrow.”
“I don’t think anything could stop me from driving all the way back now,” I replied. “I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks, Dad.”
I hung up with Dad and knew I had one more call to make, and it would be a tough one. It wouldn’t be long before word got out that I wasn’t with the team on the way to St. Louis. There were reporters on the plane, and they would be looking for me. Someone was bound to say something to them. I needed to give Randy a heads up about what happened.
Randy picked up after just one ring. “Hey there hero!” he shouted to me. “What’s going on? You guys on the plane yet?”
“I’m not going to St. Louis,” I said to him seriously. “I’m headed back home to Chandler.”
“Is everything okay? Your Mom and Dad alright? Izzy?” Randy had some concern in his voice.
“They’re all fine,” I told him as I drove. “It’s just me Randy. I’m done. These last two days have been amazing for me, but they also let me know that I’m ready for this part of my life to be over. It’s the right time for me.”
Randy then spent the next ten minutes trying to talk me out of retiring. Companies were calling for endorsements and commercials. TV shows wanted me for interviews. He said the Reds were thrilled and wanted me to stay. If I didn’t want to be in Cincinnati, the Pirates owner called him and said the team made a huge mistake and they wished they had me back. Neither was enough to change my mind.
“I’m sorry Randy,” I said to him. “It doesn’t change anything for me. I hope I didn’t disappoint you.”
“It’s okay, Wes,” Randy said. “Hey, it had to end eventually, right? Go be with your family and pick up with your life. If things change for you down the road, we can talk again.”
“They won’t change,” I said emphatically.
“Okay, fair enough. If you ever want to get back into the game, as a coach or manager or something, I’m sure we can work that out for you. Keep in touch with me, Wes.”
“I will. Thanks, Randy.” I hung up the phone and went back to concentrating on my drive home, what I would do, how I would tell Izzy, and how I wanted to surprise Kristin.
All that brought me back to lying in bed with Kristin at my side. She kept sleeping comfortably for about another hour or so before she started to rouse. I kissed her on the forehead and watched her eyes flutter open as she smiled at me.
“Oh good,” she said as she stretched her arms. “It wasn’t a dream. You’re here.”
“I sure am,” I told her. I leaned down and kissed her on the lips. I looked at my watch and saw that it was nearly four. I sat up in bed while Kristin lay on the pillow.
“Where are you off to?” she said to me with a smile as she rolled over onto her stomach. I could see the fabulous curves of her body on the bed and was sorely tempted to crawl back in with her.
“I’m going to jump in the shower,” I told her. “After driving all night and everything I think I need it. Then I thought maybe we could go down to my parents to see Izzy.”
“That sounds good to me,” Kristin said as she watched me walk towards the bathroom, whistling at me as I walked away.
I opened the shower door and turned the water on, letting it get hot and build up some steam before I climbed in. The shower had been custom-made when I had the house built, with an overhead waterfall shower and a bench seat along the far wall of the stall. The hot water felt great on my muscles and was just what I needed to revive me. I let the water rain down on me, but within moments I heard the shower stall door opening. Kristin climbed in with a grin on her face.
“I could use a shower too,” she said to me, letting the water hit her as she stood in front of me. “I hope you don’t mind the company.”
“Not at all,” I said with a smile. I grabbed the bar of soap from the holder and began to run it over her body, from her shoulders, down across her breasts and her stomach, up and down each leg, and across the downy strip of hair she had over her sex. Kristin then turned around so I could do the same to her back. I loved doing it, soaping her back and backside, cupping her in my hands, and touching her body all over.
Kristin rinsed off under the shower as I watched her run her hands over her body seductively. She looked over at me through the falling water and smiled at me. She reached over and took the bar of soak out of my hand and purred, “My turn.”
I felt her work up the suds in her hand and glide the bar of soap over my shoulders onto my chest. Her fingers massaged my pecs, and I felt her thumbs rub across my nipples before she worked her way down to my abdomen. She made sure to cover it well, tracing each muscle with her fingers. She then squatted down and rubbed the bar of soap up and down each leg, from my feet to my thighs, before she slowly stood up again, bringing her wet body right up against mine so that I could feel her breasts run over my very stiff erection. She held the bar of soap up to my eyes as she slowly worked up a good lather on her hands, and then placed the soap back in its holder. Her hands then disappeared, going down to my waist, before I felt her take me in her soapy hands.
I gasped with each slow twist and turn she made on my shaft, each move and caress getting slicker and slicker with the mix of water, soap, and fluids. I could feel her gripping me, moving her fingers over me expertly, and drawing me closer and closer to exploding in her hands. She looked me in the eye with a smile and glanced at her hands.
“I think I need more soap,” she said with an evil grin and went reached to get more before my hand grabbed her wrist to stop her.
“No, you don’t,” I groaned out. I kissed Kristin hard, pulling her to me. I wanted her badly and slowly moved her so her back was against the shower wall. I could feel her pressing hard against my body, rubbing her right leg and thigh against mine while we kissed.
I lifted her up, causing her to let out a gasp of surprise, and brought myself up and into her. Her gasp of surprise turned into a moan, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I held her tightly against me, holding her up, while I felt her moving up and down on me. The combination of the warm water, the wetness all around us, and our bodies moving together was exquisite. I could hear Kristin panting, wrapping her arms tightly around me while she kissed my neck and shoulder until I felt her arms and legs squeeze on me tightly, trying to hold me in place as she came. I pressed her back against the wall again as I thrust one last time and came myself, my legs almost giving out beneath me.
Kristin looked at me with water coming down all around her, kissing me again and again. I put her back down, and her legs seemed as wobbly as mine. We both stood under the hot water for a bit before I looked down at her and smiled again.
“I guess I finally got to use this shower the way the space should be used. Thanks,” I told her.
She smiled back at me, running her hands through her long, wet hair.
“I think we can find lots of good uses for all the space you have in the house if we use our imagination,” Kristin said slyly.
After we finally brought ourselves to get out of the shower, we helped each other dry off, which almost led to another session on the bed. My hands were roaming all over her body when Kristin finally said to me “Wes, we’re never going to get to your parents if you keep this up.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” I asked as I slowly dried off her left thigh, letting my hand roam and linger a bit.
“Hmmm,” she moaned. “No, it’s not a bad thing at all, but I promised Izzy I would help her tonight. She wants help picking out a dress for the dance tomorrow.”
“Something down to her ankles and up to her chin is perfect. Maybe made of burlap or wool,” I told Kristin as I playfully tossed the towels to the floor.
Kristin laughed at my suggestion. I watched her as she started to get dressed, sliding into her bra and panties under my gaze.
“Seriously,” I said to her as I pulled out a pair of black boxer briefs from my dresser and put them on, “maybe she won’t want to go, and we can do something else.”
“That’s not likely to happen, Wes, and you know it.” Kristin lifted her dress over her head, and I watched her shimmy her body into it. “You had to know sooner or later she was going to start dating. It’s a school dance, and he sounds like he’s a nice boy. Izzy’s a smart girl. Give her the benefit of the doubt.”
“It’s the nice boys you have to watch out for,” I said to her as I put a t-shirt on and grabbed a pair of jeans.
Kristin came over to me so I could zip up the back of her dress. She then turned to me, slowly zippering up my jeans and then buttoning them with her hand. “I’ll bet you were a nice boy back in the day,” she said to me teasingly as she gave me a kiss.
“I was,” I said to her. “That’s what worries me.”
“Everything will be fine. Let’s go,” Kristin said, taking me by the hand and leading me out the bedroom door.
We took a slow stroll down the hill to my parent’s house, my arm around Kristin the entire way. I got a beautiful view of the farm and all around it. I could see a few of the horses out in one of the far pastures, running around. It reminded of just why Chandler was such a great place to live.
As soon as we walked into the house, Izzy ran over to us and gave me a big hug. She looked up at me smiled a broad smile.
“I can’t believe you’re home,” she said excitedly. “This is perfect.” She looked at me and then at Kristin, and took Kristin by the hand, racing off towards her room with her and leaving me in a lurch. Mom came walking over to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“Welcome home… again,” she said with a smile.
“I think that will be the last time you have to say that to me Mom,” I told her.
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said as she went over and sat in her chair.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked her, sitting down on the couch myself.
“Down at the stables,” she said as she switched the lamp on next to her chair. “He’ll be back before dinner. Are you glad to be home?”
I was gazing down the hallway towards where Kristin and Izzy were before I regained my focus on Mom’s question.
“I couldn’t be happier,” I told her as I sat back on the couch.
Kristin came walking out of Izzy’s bedroom and sat down next to me on the couch, taking my hand in hers. Mom looked over at the two of us and smiled. Izzy came bounding down the hallway a moment later and sat on the arm of the couch next to me.
“Kristin helped me pick out my dress for tomorrow night,” Izzy said excitedly. “She’s going to help me with my hair and makeup too before the dance.”
“Well she does have to work tomorrow too, Izzy,” I said to her. “Maybe she won’t have enough time.”
“The dance isn’t until eight, Wes,” Kristin said, giving me a nudge. “I’ll have plenty of time to help you, Izzy.”
“Is makeup really necessary?” I pleaded.
“Yes!” all three ladies shouted at me.
“You’re better off staying out of this, Wesley,” Mom said to me as she pretended to read her book.
“Yes, Wesley,” Kristin said to me sarcastically.
We had an amazing family dinner that night. The dinner itself was nothing out of the ordinary – just some beef and rice – but it was a treat for me to be around the table and see so much happiness around me, and to get the chance to take part in it. It was wonderful to see the laughs and smiles from everyone from the start of the meal to the end and to see Kristin be such an integral part of it all. By the time it was eleven, Izzy was heading off to bed, Mom was already in bed, and Kristin and I were both ready to call it a night as well. Only Dad looked like he could keep going strong.
I got up from the couch and took Kristin’s hand to help her up.
“We’re heading out, Dad,” I said to him as I yawned.
“I’m surprised you made it this late. Have you slept at all in the last day or so?” He asked.
“No, I haven’t,” I told him. “But I have the rest of my life to sleep late if I want to,” I said with a smile.
“Well some of us don’t have that luxury, right Wyatt?” Kristin chimed in.
“You’re right,” Dad told her. “I’ve got plenty of work you can get up early for if you’re looking for something to do tomorrow Wes.”
“That’s okay,” I told him as we headed out the door. “Have a good night.”
“Good night, you two,” Dad said, grinning at us as he closed the door behind us.
We walked back up to my place, listening to the sounds of the birds, crickets, frogs, and insects enjoying the spring weather. I held Kristin’s hand as we got closer to my house.
“Do you really have to go to work tomorrow?” I asked her, giving her a smile.
“Yes, I do,” she said to me.
“I can drive you home if you want to stay at home tonight,” I replied.
“Well, that would be more convenient for me,” Kristin answered, “but then I wouldn’t get to sleep in that great big bed of yours. Or take a shower in that shower in the morning,” she said with a smirk.
“No, I guess you wouldn’t.” I held the front door open for her so she could walk in first.
“I think that means you’re getting up early in the morning, Wes.” My eyes followed Kristin as she walked over towards the bedroom.
“I’ll try not to keep you awake too late tonight then,” she said as she walked in the bedroom and sat down on the bed to face me.