Bill stepped onto the rubber, rolling the ball slowly in his hands until the seams felt just right, then dropped his hand, covering the ball with his glove. The hand holding the ball was hidden as he pulled his left knee high. When his eyes left Chavez, Bill drove forward hard, his eyes focusing on a single dot, deep in the pocket of Jake’s glove. Bill finished with an explosion as his left foot locked into the depression just in front of the mound, his wrist snapping hard. Bill’s eyes never left the target, face fierce, jaws clenched.
Julio was late!
“STRIKE THREE!”
“The crowd here at Dodger stadium has just exploded. Julio Chavez struck out and the Dodgers are headed to the World Series. Bill Sullivan, written off just a year ago, has made an incredible comeback. As you recall he was injured badly in a car accident. Few people believed he would ever play major league ball again.”
“That’s correct, Jim. The doctors said it was too dangerous. But come back he did, with an incredible finish to this very strange season. Bill Sullivan heads for his first World Series!”
Beer, hats, popcorn, and pillow seats were flying everywhere.
“YEEEAAH DAD!” screamed Natalie. “Oh, my God. He did it! Go DAD!” She gave Megan a quick hug.
Megan hugged Natalie back before sticking her fingers in her mouth to let loose with a loud shrill whistle. They hugged each other again and then Natalie started waving her Dodger’s foam number one finger proudly in the air. Kai and Megan gave each other a high five. They watched as Bill was engulfed in a knot of players, pounding each other on the back, hugging and yelling. Soon, from the tangle of men, head bare, Bill was thrust into the air above them, a grin filling his face from ear to ear.
Julio and the entire Cubs team were walking toward Bill and the Dodgers. Jake saw them coming and so did several other teammates, who began to open a lane.
Julio spoke as he shook Bill’s hand. “Congratulations, Bill, it has been a tremendous pleasure to have been on this field and to compete against you, especially after what you went through.”
“Thank you, Chavez. You are a fierce competitor.”
“You could have quit, or you could have used drugs, but you didn’t, and I applaud you.
“You could have walked me, but you didn’t. You won this game fair and square.”
“You’re okay, Chavez. I look forward to seeing you next season.”
Julio leaned close. “Natalie will need you over there.”
“What?”
Julio turned and shook hands with Jake and shared a smile. He shook a few more hands on the way, then stopped about twenty feet from Bill.
Bill looked up, caught a glimpse of his daughter and Megan waving, and started their way, wanting to see them for a few minutes before the ceremonies kicked off.
Natalie, Megan, and Kai started for the stairs, hugging the walkways outside half-wall, separating them from the field. Kai made sure she held tight to the cooler, knowing it would be needed shortly. They were being jostled by the surging crowd. Fans were climbing over chairs, wanting to get onto the field as quickly as they could.
When Natalie, Megan, and Kai were about ten feet from the stairs, the crowd surged again as a wave of people came over the first row of seats and onto the walkway. There was not enough room, fans were jostled, and someone tripped.
A chain reaction began and within seconds several people went down. The crowd moved again, away from the fallen, and several fans bumped back into Natalie, who was knocked backward over the concrete barrier.
“Natalie!” Megan screamed, reaching too late for Bill’s daughter.