Secrets Of Third Base

21

She has never really seen Cade have a mediocre game until tonight. It's not that he is playing badly. He is just playing like everybody else. The thing is, he is usually really, really on, or really, really off. It's a little bizarre to see him get several base hits in a row. The guys look at eachother too, raising their shoulders.

The game is close. The Hotshots are trailing by two in the bottom 7th.

The game is dragging on. It's one of those innings that seems to last forever. With Cade playing like a normal human, the teams are pretty evenly matched.

Cade is playing third base, per usual. He has looked bored most of the night, kicking up dirt with the toe of his shoes.

She notices he is looking up right now though. Not at the batter, but at the scoreboard, then back at home plate. He does this a handful of times, like maybe if he keeps looking at it, it will miraculously change.

Then, for the first time in a while, she gets a good look at his face.

"Shit." She whispers.

She knows that face.

It becomes glaringly obvious then. As the pitch winds up, he crouches into position. When it is yet another foul ball, he springs back up and starts to pace, before eventually coming to a stop and quickly crossing his legs.

Then he unexpectedly looks over to the bench. None of the guys notice. Or maybe they do, and they just suspect this is Cade being Cade, not like anyone actually understands him. They lock eyes, and she can see the pain and fear, even from a distance.

The time seems to slow as he gets back into position. The pitch is ball 4 for a walk. He quickly grabs himself, looking around. There are thousands of people in the stadium. They're wearing gray uniforms. There is no way no one would see.

He is looking at her again, biting is lip and subtly bouncing in place. He mouths something at her, she doesn't know what.

She makes her way to Cam, who is the designated hitter tonight.

"What's up?" He asks.

She gestures hastily towards the back of the dugout.

"Cam, we have to get Cade off the field. Now." She says sternly.

"What? Why?" He asks and looks toward third base.

"Why is he doing that?" He asks, watching as Cade's act becomes even more desperate.

"He is going to piss himself if we don't get him off."

"What? He has pissed like four times tonight." Cam gestures to the bathrooms. This stadium is newer and there are bathrooms inside the dugout.

"Yeah, but you know about his...deal." She says, getting frustrated, she knows she doesn't have much time.

"Deal?" He questions, skeptically.

"He has accidents. Overactive bladder or something. Either way, he is going to piss down his legs if we can't get him off right now."

"I thought that only happened at night!?" Cam says loudly.

That makes a few of the guys look their way.

She doesn't say anything, they both look at Cade who is barely hiding anything now.

"Elliott!" Cam yells and jogs towards him.

"Call a timeout. Now." Cam says as serious as she has ever heard him.

"I'm giving him four more pitches, I want him to finish out the inning. He can do it." Elliott says, speaking of the pitcher.

She doesn't hear what Cam says next, but whatever it is, Elliott reluctantly calls for a timeout.