CRACK.
He could feel it. He didn’t need to watch.
That ball sailed over the left-field wall.
Josh’s team cheered. Benji sashayed around the bases, dancing in front of Josh’s slow, steady jog. When Josh crossed home plate and waded through the forest of high fives, he was shocked to see his father hadn’t moved from his spot in the corner of the dugout with the stranger. The team was jubilant with a tournament win, but the men were still talking intently.
“Dad?” Josh stood at the entrance to the dugout, looking down and in. Jaden was finishing up the stats. She smiled, giving him a silent thumbs-up for his big home run. But he was unable to return her smile.
“Dad?” he said again. “Is everything okay?”
Josh’s father looked up as if waking from a dream. His eyes focused on Josh, and his smile appeared as he nodded his head. “Better than okay, Josh! Nice hit! Great tournament!”
The words suggested everything was fine, but Josh knew his father, his expressions, and his voice well enough to know that something had happened.
In fact, Josh was certain that everything in their lives was about to change.