Felix (The Ninth Inning #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

but I turn toward the window.
    “Shut up! That’s great. I’ll have your hot dog and beer waiting for you. Be sure to be there before warm-ups.” She ends the call and I remain facing the window.
    “You’re playing with fire. You told Felix you were going to the game, didn’t you?”
    “I may have,” I mumble.
    “Now, you told LA he was taking you.” I know that tone. I call it her ‘mother’ tone.
    “I may have,” I say even lower.
    “Oh, you’re going to feel the wrath later tonight, especially if they lose.” Annie pulls onto the off ramp.
    “They’re not going to lose. It’s dumb that they think I have some special baseball-mojo to make the Angels win. I’m not a rabbit’s foot, for Pete’s sake!” I’m almost yelling.
    “Calm down, Abigail.” Her voice is gentle and she pulls into the restaurant’s parking lot. When she finds a parking spot and parks, she turns to me. I’m still not looking at her. “You’re not a liar. I’m begging you not to start now.”
    I look at her. “I know. I’ll take care of it, but I’ll do it later. Right now, I want to hang out with my sister.”
    “Then come on.”
    Annie and I have a great meal. We laugh and talk about school, work, and even the fact that Annie has a crush on another teacher from a different school she met at a conference. They have been chatting through Facebook, but haven’t gone out yet. I hope she will find someone. Annie has such a big heart; she would be a wonderful girlfriend and even a wife.
    After lunch, we head to the mall where she ends up buying me a couple outfits, even though I beg her not to. A few hours and a soft pretzel later, we pack our bags into the car and she takes me home.
    Walking into my apartment, I hear my phone ringing. It’s LA’s ringtone and I know that I have to face the music.
    “How could you lie to me?” The hurt and anger bursts through the phone.
    “LA, it’s a little complicated. I’ll explain later.”
    “Tell it to Felix. He looked so shocked you weren’t here. He was pale! If they lose tonight, it’s all your fault.” She ends the call and I hang my head.
    Shit. This is the worst weekend I’ve had in a long time. I drop my bags in my bedroom and come back to flip on the game. Maybe this will prove to Felix that I’m not needed.
    Inning after inning, my heart sinks deeper into the pit of my stomach. When the ninth inning comes, I almost tear up. The Angels haven’t even scored. They’ve barely gotten on base. When they show the bullpen, I see Felix, and there is anger and hurt all over his face.
    Shit. This isn’t going to go well. My phone vibrates.
     
    LA: Thanks a lot Abby-bear.
     
    I fall back on the couch and sigh deeply. It’s one thing for Felix to be mad at me, but not my sister.
    I knew that knock was going to come tonight, so I’m a little prepared. When I open the door, Felix is standing there and I’m not sure if he’s going to yell at me or stand there silently.
    “Come in, please. I have a beer waiting for you in the fridge.” I step to the side and open the door wider.
    He walks in. “You should’ve just told me you weren’t coming.”
    “True.” I shut the door and lead him to my kitchen. I hand him a beer and we sit at the table. “I did lie, and I did it for selfish reasons because I was upset you forgot me last night. I mean, you told me you forgot because of baseball and that hurt.”
    “I know. Would it make you feel any better if I told you I’ve forgotten dinners with my family before, too?”
    I take a small swig of my drink. “If you’re making it up to make me feel better, then no, it won’t. However, if you’re serious, it does a little bit.” I twirl a strand of my hair around my fingers. “You have to see it from my side. I was ready, dressed, and sat here for hours without a single text or phone call. Do you even know how crappy I felt?”
    “As crappy as I feel about forgetting. I’ve had this issue for a long time. It’s why