The Line Drive

forty-three

Dane

Mackenzie's words about calling my father have been rattling around in my head for over a week. We've quickly grown comfortable with the whole dating thing. I walk her to some of her classes, she drives me to and from school, we spend a couple nights a week at her place, and a couple of nights apart. Mackenzie seems to want to avoid being around Grant, and I can't say I blame her.

It's a Sunday evening, and it's been three and a half weeks since Grant's ball hit me when I get to take my sling off. The doctor takes another look at it, declares that it's healing in excellent form, prescribes me some more weeks of PT, and it feels like I'm home free. Noah took me to the hospital, and Mackenzie is picking me up when she's done with newspaper stuff. Looking at my phone, I see I have a good half hour, so I sit in the hospital lobby and stare out the huge windows, thinking about Mackenzie's words.

She hadn't brought it up again, but I know she's right. I should call my father, I should tell him how I'm doing. I don't really want to, but he hasn't called me either. Maybe if I try, he'll try too. What's the worst thing that could happen?

Deciding I'll take the momentum where I can get it, I unlock my phone, and call him before I can second guess it.

He answers on the second ring.

"Dane?" He sounds relieved, and nervous.

"Hey, dad." Saying dad sounds weird, but I just roll with it, determined to get through this call.

"I'm--" He pauses for such a long time, I start to wonder if the call dropped. "I'm glad to hear from you."

"I just wanted to tell you that I got my sling off. The doc says I'm healing really well."

"That's excellent news."

There's another long silence, where I consider just hanging up. Instead, my mouth decides to keep going. 

"Talked to coach this week, and he says that if the doctor clears me, I can play this spring."

I expect him to say how great that is, or that of course I'm doing that, or make some remark about how now I'm going to be bad at baseball. What he actually says is, "Is that what you want to do?"

"What?" I feel remarkably stupid, but that's all that manages to come out of my mouth.

"Do you want to play baseball in the spring?" He asks.

"Are you serious?" I feel like I'm gearing up for a fight.

My father lets out a sigh like I'm the dumbest person he's ever met. "Dane-- I'm trying really hard here." I hear him take a breath. "You're my son. I just want you to do what makes you happy."

"Oh."

"That girl of yours really got in my head."

"Clearly." I say. "She's good at that."

"Yeah, she is." He lets out a low chuckle. "Did she get on your case about calling me?"

"Something like that."

"She seemed astute." My father comments. "I liked her."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I appreciate someone who knows what to fight for."

It's the longest silence yet. I don't even know what to say, I'm nearly in tears. This call isn't going at all like I was expecting.

"Are you two dating?" He asks.

"As of two weeks ago." I tell him.

"Well, you should invite her home for Thanksgiving. Henry and Jadyn will be there. Jadyn seemed to really like her. Wouldn't shut up to Mellie about it." Mellie was my step-mom.