The Magician by Kathleen Shoop
Author:Kathleen Shoop
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kathleen Shoop
Published: 2021-02-12T00:00:00+00:00
Chapter 28
Owen
2019
Owenâs teammate Zeke dropped him off at Blue Horizon, where he would meet his mum and theyâd have dinner with Gramps and try to get him moved back home now that he seemed to be doing better. Owen was always excited to see Gramps, found himself completely at home with him, secure with him. Yet that day he would have preferred just going to Grampsâs house in Donora, climbing the stairs to his room on the second floor, and dropping into a long, deep sleep.
He knocked at Grampsâs door.
âEnter at your own risk.â
Owen took his hat off and approached Gramps, who was sitting in an overstuffed chair beside the bed, shuffling cards on a small table set in front of him. He studied Owen, squinting. He pulled on his glasses.
âWhatcha blubberinâ âbout?â Gramps said.
Owen looked away. He had been crying, but heâd stopped his tears for the entire drive to Blue Horizon.
âYa got tear trails cut through the infield dirt on your face. Clear as day.â
The backs of Owenâs eyes burned. He held his breath and tried to fight away a rising sob.
âStanley F. Musial used to shed a tear or two over a lost game.â
âReally?â Owen squeaked the word out.
âOh Jesus. Lie down. Tell Gramps all about it.â
Owen crumbled onto Grampsâs bed.
âSo you lost a game. Itâs the natural cycle of things.â
âI lost my arm, my bat.â
Gramps set the cards on the countertop and pulled his book onto the table. âI read you all about Stan weeping after a particularly hard loss.â
âItâs not just that.â
âYer pop?â
âItâs always something with him, but no.â
âCanât find the plate?â
He shook his head. âThey stuck me in center anyhow. Some hotshot from Ohioâs coming in to train, and they slotted him in to pitch. I like center. I was off today though.â
âAll right. One bad dayââ
âI lost my girlfriend.â Owen couldnât breathe. His throat closed tighter with every breath. Sharp needle-poke pain stabbed his heart. The hurt radiated to the tips of his fingers and toes.
âThe girl with the legs?â
âThey all have legs, Gramps.â
âThe girl you showed me on that computer of yours? With the nice legs. Long andââ
âSheâs nice. All of her.â Owen pulled the pillow over his head. âShe dumped me because...â
ââCause what?â
ââCause Iâm here.â
âWell, Christ, then who cares? She ainât the one fer ya.â
âBut I canât breathe. I canâtââ
âIf she canât even let ya be for a couple a summer months, howâs that gonna allow fer ya to play a full major-league season?â
Owen had to agree with that.
âStill. It hurts. My heart throbs, like a cartoon or something. I can literally feel the outlines of an organ in my body that I canât even see. Now I know how Mum felt when...â
Gramps reached for Owenâs hand and squeezed it. âYa ainât the only ballplayer to experience heartbreak. But yer too young to feel like this. Christ. Better to get this outta the road before ya get down to real business.â
A sob squeaked out of Owen, ignoring his attempt to hold it back.
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