The Heart of the Team

Chapter Twelve

July, 19th, 1962
Dear Maria,
Sorry I didn't write sooner, it's just that this first week has been a blur.
Everything out here is different, but I'll get used to it eventually.
The house is pretty big, and I even get my own bathroom. Theres a little lake outside that Roy said they had dug and filled when he was a kid.
Me and Alexander get along pretty well.
Make sure Benny doesn't go doing anything stupid.
I miss you bunches,
Eliza

Dear Benny,
I miss you alot.
Had I known you were gonna kiss me like that I would've begged to stay.
But it's probably for the best that I left cause you've still got Mia and I've got a new family.
I'm gonna send the guys a separate letter to your house so bring it with you next time you go to the Sandlot.
Love,
Eliza.

Dear guys,
Illinois sure is different from the valley.
It definitely doesn't have nine annoying boys to play baseball with.
You'd guys better as hell not forget about me.
There's a girl who lives next door to me now that I've been getting to know, she likes to play baseball too. Her name is Lyric.
If you saw her you'd probably drool.
Hopefully I'll see you,
Eliza

I mailed the first three letters about a week after moving.
We continued to write back and forth a lot. These are a few highlights.

August 2nd, 1962
Dear Guys,
I hope to god what you said in the last letter is a joke.
You guys are good but without me I doubt you could beat Phillips.
Please tell me you wouldn't do something that stupid.
Eliza

August 25, 1962
Dear guys,
You are all actual dumbasses.
How in the hell do you lose a baseball that is that important?
You'd better find a way to get it back.
If you don't die getting it back from the Beast I will come out there and kill all of you myself.
Eliza
PS. Lyric agrees with me that your all idiots
PPS. Alexander says hi

August 29, 1962
Dear Maria,
I know I haven't written in a while but school's starting soon and I'm really nervous to have to go through without the boys.
I know this is a weird question but is Benny still with Mia?
I miss playing piano with you, and listening to you sing.
Hopefully I'll be able to come visit soon.
Eliza

August 30th, 1962
Dear Guys,
School's starting soon.
I'm not looking forward to having to start middle school without your dumbasses around.
But I have made some friends so that's good.
Mom says I have to go to bed now, so I'll mail this tomorrow before school.
Eliza

September 27, 1963
Dear guys,
Guess what.

My last name isn't gonna be Callway anymore cause the Havery's are adopting me.
Yes you read that right.
I'm being adopted.
I finally have a family.
Eliza
Ps. this is alexander, Elizabeth's new brother. She doesn't know I'm adding this. I just want you to know that I'm looking out for her at school, and she's doing fine, except for the doctor stays.

January 1st, 1964,
Dear Guys,
Happy new year!
I miss you all.
Eliza.

After that letters started to taper off, except from Maria.
This was the next letter I sent.

September 19, 1965
Dear Benny,
I know it's been a while since we've talked.
I just miss you alot right now.
A week long trip in the summer isn't long enough for me to see you.
I'm writing this from a hospital room cause my stuff flared up again.
Everytime I have to spend a night here things get worse mentally, but it's been three months clean so far so I think it'll be okay.
Alexanders here so that makes me feel better but it's not the same as you or the sandlot boys.
I wish you were here right now.
Well maybe not right now cause I'm in a hospital gown and looking like a mess but still.
Things aren't looking to good here.
They say my issues are getting worse.
I miss the valley.
I miss the sandlot, and vincents, and the street parties on the fourth of july.
I have home here yeah, but it's nothing compared to what I left there.
I miss, Bertrum, and Ham, and Smalls, and Timmy, and DeNunez, And Yeah-Yeah, and Tommy, and Squints hell I even miss constantly fighting with Phillips.
But I miss you the most.
Love,
Eliza.

So we hit 200 reads?
People actually read my shit?
Um.
Apparently