A Million Miles Apart (Wish 4)

15 - No shame

The crowd was standing as Jiminez, their closer, went into the windup. One more out and they'd have another win and would be one step closer to the playoffs. Ben watched as the fast ball blew by the batter outside. The crowd deflated as they all let out their breath. They were only ahead by one and there were runners on second and third after Jiminez had given up a walk and a bloop hit. He was close to walking the bases loaded.

The silence was eerie as he delivered the pay-off pitch. It sailed in and the crowd erupted when the umpire bent his elbow. He ran to the pitcher's mound and accosted Jimenez as the rest of the team spilled out of the dugout. He was in the mix with Jett, who smiled at him. This was worth the grueling schedule, especially because the team they needed to lose had done just that.

Ben didn't have time to waste because he had to clean up and rush home to dress for the recognition night. He was really in a groove and had a great game with three hits. It was a nice place to be at this point in the season when slumps were more common, but he had his slump earlier and worked through it.

Ben had arranged a car which was not normally his style, but he didn't have time to pick up Angela. He quickly learned after he made a name for himself, a tux was a necessary addition to his wardrobe. So reluctantly, he dressed in his.

If he could skip this event, he would. Applause and cheers for his efforts on the diamond didn't bother him, but he preferred for his contributions off the field to go unnoticed. The purpose of the evening was to give him accolades in a roomful of overdressed people. Once again he was glad to have been reluctant to break things off with Angela. He would have hated to face this evening alone.

The event was being held in a hotel ballroom downtown. Angela wore a dress which emphasized her assets. His money was well spent. He didn't trust her, but was still attracted to her.

Mrs. Whitby who organized the event met them at the door.

"Welcome Mr. Lynch. Taylor will escort you to your table."

The tall, thin woman showed them to the table in front of the podium. Already seated was a large man who he recognized as a football player. Once they  were seated and made introductions, Taylor brought over another couple. The man was extremely tall and Ben identified him as a basketball player. It relieved him to be sitting with other athletes.

Angela leaned into him. "I want a drink."

Reluctantly, he stood to venture across the room to the bar. Half way between his table and the bar, he saw her. His first thought was her legs looked amazing in her dress. When he looked up at her face, she was expressionless until she turned her head and smiled. A tall man brought her a glass of wine and she immediately put her arm around him.

She was with Edward Calhoun. Ben wondered where his wife was. Sloane really was a gold digger out with a married man in public. How could Kenzie be so blind? The woman had no shame.

The man nodded to him, but he had lost all respect for the businessman. Apparently, he created better condos than he conducted his life. Ben made his way to the bar, hoping to avoid the two of them all evening.

It didn't take long before they served dinner. He sat at just the right angle to see the adulterers talking to each other, as well as others at their table. The meal was not horrible for hotel fare, and he should know. Angela talked nonstop to the others using her favorite pronoun 'we' as if they were a married couple.

Following dinner, Mrs. Whitby spoke from the podium. She explained the role of her foundation and their desire to honor those supporting the Boys & Girls Club.

"I like to invite The Whitby Foundation's CFO, the amazing Ms. Mia Reilly to explain."

A petite woman took the podium. She looked familiar to Ben, but he couldn't imagine how he would have met her before. When she spoke she sounded nervous. He listened as she explained the scope of support for the various foundations made to the clubs. She ended her speech with a jaw dropping comment.

"Every year, the Whitby Foundation chooses an organization and matches the funds raised by the top contributors. This year we have chosen the Boys & Girls Club for this honor."

The room erupted in applause as Mrs. Whitby took the podium again. Ben prepared himself as one by one they announced each of the honorees. When it was his turn, he stood and received his gift, an engraved silver bowl. He shook the hands of both the older and younger women. Even up close, he couldn't place why he thought she was familiar.

Angela insisted they stay and dance. He wasn't really a dancer, but could turn in circles. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Sloane and Calhoun floated together across the dance floor laughing. When her eyes met his, she put her head on her partner's shoulder and he tightened his hold.

When Angela agreed to dance with the football star, Ben sat and watched. His eyes caught the young woman, who had spoken, as she walked towards Sloane. Calhoun released Sloane and took the other woman in his arms. Ben had thought the other couple looked overly friendly, but the way Calhoun held the CFO and whispered in her ear was intimate. Sloane didn't appear bothered by the woman and was soon laughing in the arms of the man she had left the gallery with.

He tried to keep his eyes off her, but her legs attracted his attention like a moth to flame. She had trouble keeping her eyes off him, and neither he nor she was smiling. Angela finally returned to him and he convinced her they should leave.

Ben slid out of bed. He couldn't sleep when sleep was what he needed. After another afternoon game, they would board a plane for a ten game road trip, the last of the season.

Instead of sleeping, he thought about Kimmy. The gold digger had brought back the memories.

Kimmy had loved him from the time she was old enough. He always thought of her as his sister's cute little friend until she reached sixteen. Suddenly, he thought about her more than he should have. He was eighteen, and she was immature for her age.

One Saturday, he was home alone. It wasn't baseball season, so his father was probably at a job. Kenzie might have been babysitting, but he couldn't remember. Kimmy appeared at the door, and he let her in. He remembered how beautiful she was. He never knew how it happened, but he kissed her. Truthfully, it was so amazing he never thought they would stop.

Ben had to remember she was still too young for him, since he was off to college in the fall. He met her the next day in the woods. It was cold and there was still snow on the ground. She kissed him and he wanted to give in. He told her he loved her, but they needed to wait. He made her a promise that day, and he never kept it. When he got drafted, he said he would come for her. They would be together.

The night she showed up at the BC party with Kenzie, he wanted to kiss her. He was with another girl who he was dating, but not seriously. Kim looked heartbroken, and he tried to get her alone to explain, but his date pulled him away to another party.

The next day when Jett told him about Kimmy and his teammates together in a room, he wanted to pummel someone, starting with himself. He had set the ball in motion by hurting her. It was his fault she drank too much, and those guys took advantage of her. Then he abandoned her when she was pregnant, but Kenzie and Jett never did. With the help of her addictive genes that she inherited from her no good father and the painkillers after surgery, she became an addict and her life spiraled. He ignored her, because to think of her was too painful.

Did he help her? No, he was too busy concentrating on his career and feeling guilty. He never understood why she told no one about his promise. Kenzie thought he hated Maisy, but he didn't. He hated the guilt he felt every time he looked at her and saw her mother's eyes. He felt guilt when he saw Betsy, too. It was the real reason he wasn't close to his father's wife.

He closed his eyes and remembered Sloane going straight to another man after Ben had yelled at her. Hopefully, she was mature enough to not ruin her life over a rude ballplayer. Seeing her with a married man made him wonder if he was wrong.

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