For Love of the Game (14 page)

Pause.

Carol: “You’re alone in the dark?”

“Yep.”

“Me, too.”

“You, too?”

“Yep.” Pause. “God. It’s awful.”

“Sure is.”

“Billy?”

“Yep.”

“Do you need me?”

“Yep.”

Pause. “Can you wait a few minutes?”

“Can I wait? I can wait … as long.…”

“Well, you see … it’s hard to say … must be different (was she crying?) for us old people. But you see, I love you, too, Billy. Oh, God. I’ll be there soon as I can.”

Phone hung up.

He stood in the exploding dark.

He went to the window.

Now he could begin to see the stars.

Said to himself: know what you did today, Billy? You grew up.

She’s coming.

Will she ever leave?

Don’t let her.
Love her
.

He looked up, from star to star.

Remembered the prayer in the ninth inning. He put the tired right hand to his forehead, gave an old-fashioned salute, said aloud: “Sir? Thank you.”