Your Time

Chapter 47

{May 2032}

Emma's high school softball team made it to the Texas state championship her senior year. What made it even more special was that Billie was coming too. As the teams starting pitcher. All her hard work paid off, as she was able to beat out a sophomore and a junior for the starting job. And she sure as hell had been doing a great job for a freshman. The entire season leading up to the playoffs, Billie threw five no hitters and twelve shutouts. In her 113 innings pitched, she had 120 strikeouts which was over a strikeout per inning.

The best part about today's game was that Emma would be catching her younger sister once again. The two of them worked so well together. If Billie ever ran into trouble, Emma would call timeout and go talk to her, and tell her what to fix, or what the game plan was.

It was obvious Billie had a large amount of trust in her big sister. Emma would call pitches for Billie every game. There were very few times Billie would shake off a sign. She also wasn't afraid to tempt a hitter with a drop ball with runners in scoring position because she knew Emma would keep the ball in front of her.

The two were also the best 3 and 4 hitting duo in the state. Billie would normally bat for herself in the third spot in the batting order, and Emma would follow up in the cleanup spot. The two of them combined for 21 home runs this season.

Harrison and Carrie watched from beside the dugout as proud parents as both their daughters took the field. All season, they cherished the two of them playing together. But today, win or lose, would be the last game Emma and Billie would play together. Emma was finishing out her senior year. She would then be attending Oklahoma University to play softball and get her degree in biology.

Beside Harrison and Carrie, stood Adam and Ben. After finishing his sophomore year, he came home to watch the girls play.

"Billie looks like me out there," he told his dad.

"She sure does."

Brother and sister who were both pitchers, had the same demeanor when they pitched.

Their team was the home team, and just before the first batter stepped into the box, Emma ran out to the mound and gave her sister a pep talk. There were smiles, followed by Emma patting her sisters shoulder. She then said, "you got this," loud enough for her parents to hear.

Billie stuck out the side on 9 pitches, to bring her team up to bat in the bottom of the first. The first two girls on their team reached base safety, bringing up Billie who was followed by Emma.

The first pitch, Billie drove to right field for a double, scoring a run. There were now runners on second and third for Emma. And Emma who'd crushed the school record for home runs this season, just added another one to her resumé.

It was a drive to center field, that cleared the wall with plenty of room. It was a three run home run. Their team was leading 4-0 after the first inning.

•••

Billie didn't get into trouble on the mound until the top of the fifth, when the opposing team picked up back to back hits against her with one out.

After the second hit, Emma turned around to the umpire and called timeout. She then went to the mound for a chat with Billie. The chat lasted until the home plate umpire came out and separated them to keep the game moving.

"She told her not to worry about the runners," Adam said.

"Definitely," Harrison answered after seeing Billie take a deep breath.

Billie would sometimes let the runners get into her head as a pitcher, meaning she'd try to aim the ball more, afraid that someone would crank a double with runners on base. Emma would often tell her, "I'll worry about the runners, you worry about the batter."

Whatever Emma told her sister during that meeting on the mound worked. Billie struck out the last two batters to end the inning.

•••

It was now the bottom of the sixth. Billie was up second this inning, with Emma up third. The first girl up grounded out to shortstop. Billie got her count to 3-1 before driving a triple to left center field.

That brought up Emma, and most likely the last plate appearance of her high school career. Billie cheered on her sister from third base as she stepped into the batters box. Emma took two strikes but was then able to even up her count at two balls and two strikes.

Everyone cheering for their team wanted to see Emma go out with one last hit, as the cheering quieted down to give the pitcher some concentration. That concentration lead to a meatball down the heart of the plate which Emma crushed over the left field fence.

"THAT'S GONE!"

It sure was. Emma stood in the batters box for a few seconds and watched her final hit leave the park before flipping her bat and taking a trip around the bases.

"Dad can I go get the ball?"

Harrison nodded, letting Ben go grab the home run ball from Emma's last at bat.

After the two other girls grounded out and flew out, they teams switched for the top of the seventh. They were up 8-0.

The first two girls stuck out. Before the last batter, Emma ran out to tell her something. Instead of covering her mouth with her glove like she normally would, she told Billie loud and clear, "let's make this last one memorable."

Billie performed to her sisters expectations, striking out the last batter on three pitches. Before Emma could even take a step towards the mound, she was tackled by Billie in a heap of dust. They'd won the state championship!

Harrison, Carrie, Adam, Ben, and Debbie all ran onto the field. They dug Emma and Billie out from a pile of players. Emma picked up her glove and gave Billie the ball from the strikeout to end the game. "You keep this one."

"I will."

"Emma!"

"Yeah Ben?"

"I got this for you." He showed her the ball he'd been holding behind his back. Her last home run ball.

She gave her brother a hug. "Thanks Ben!"

It was then Harrison and Carrie's turn to crush their daughters in hugs. "We're so proud of you guys!"

"Thanks mom and dad."

For the first time, Carrie realized Emma was crying. "Hey you did great," she told her daughter. "Go do that at Oklahoma now."

"I will mom. I will."

With that, the kids joined their team to accept their championship trophy and medals.