Secrets Of Third Base

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They don't see each other that night. Or the next morning. They never said goodbye. It's heartbreaking and easier at the same time.

Living by herself for the last nine years has never felt so alone. It's quiet. It's empty. The bed is cold.

She cries herself to sleep every single night for five days. She is able to muster up enough strength to hold it together at work. The guys know. They comfort her as best they can. They're hurting, too. The gaping hole Cade left is apparent in every aspect. She can't help but notice the amount of jerseys with his name and number on them that appear not only at the stadium but all over town.

She's standing in the grocery store, looking at the pitiful selection of milk alternatives when she notices

Belmount
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Stamped in purple on a white jersey. It's a little kid, maybe nine. The front of the jersey is the Rockies logo. That makes her shiver.

Every suppressed memory comes flooding back. She hasn't heard a word from or about him. She has stayed off of social media and stayed away from every news stand she could. She doesn't want to hear because she doesn't want to know. The team doesn't say anything either. They probably knows it's just as hard for her too.

Today is set to be his professional debut, as far as she knows. She wishes there was a game tonight, so she would have some kind of excuse not to watch. Cam invites her over though, along with the rest of the guys. She figures she's probably less likely to cry if she is around the entire team. So she goes.

The entire pre-game show is on it. Cade and his stats. Showing his incredible plays from his record-breaking season. There are flashbacks from his college days at Baylor and his stint with the Portland Aces. There are also clips she has never seen from the 2008 Little League Championships. Even then, he was a star. They talk about Cade's struggles, but ultimately, he overcame his challenges with the Hotshots. They bring up his "stomach bug" episode a few weeks back too. She cringes at that.

The cameras cut to the field. The massive arena. Cade is playing third base. A white and purple pinstripe jersey, just like the replica at the store today. They zoom in on him as they continue to talk stats on the rookie.

He isn't smiling. The broadcaster makes jokes about first-day of school jitters.

The game starts and right off the bat, Cade misses a textbook play, and the ball goes right under his glove.

More jokes are made, but after the third error, the coach comes out for a mound visit.

They guys exchange familiar looks of despair.

When the game comes back on, Cade is still in.

'Oh no...' Brooke thinks to herself as soon as he comes up to his first at-bat in the bottom second. Cade has a way of turning his hips inwards when he needs to use the bathroom badly. The way he is doing right now. The guys don't seem to notice the subtle gesture. They're just watching diligently.

The camera zooms in, and she can see by the look on his face that this isn't good at all.

1 strike and 1 foul and suddenly Cade drops the bat and it's clear as day on live TV when his pin-stripe pants begin to grow dark.