Hunter Hill University: Reaching Rose Part 25

"What about you?" he asks. "Did you have a high school sweetheart?"

"No. My father wouldn't let us date until we were sixteen, so I didn't even start seeing anyone until...my senior prom was actually my first date."

"Really?" He sounds surprised.

"Yup. But like you, most of my time was spent dancing."

Ben chuckles.

"Not that you dance, but...you know what I mean."

"Yeah. You were committed to something other than the opposite s.e.x."

"Right."

For a moment, he looks like he's going to ask something, but he shakes his head and the look's gone.

"Were you always a pitcher?"

"Pretty much. I like being the center of attention."

"You? That doesn't sound like you."

"Just kidding. I have good focus. Besides, I suck in the outfield."

"What about batting? You good at that?"

He nods. "Again. Good focus."

"I'd love to see a game."

"We start scrimmaging in February. You can come to one of them if you want. The real games start at the beginning of March."

"Yeah. I'd love to." Then I remember that there will be other people at a college baseball game, so I quickly change the subject to avoid confirming a concrete date. "When will you be done with college?" Duh. He's a junior. He'll be done next year.

"Next June."

His phone rings from the dash. "Incoming call. Mom."

"I'm sorry. She'll keep calling if I don't get it. Hi, Ma."

"Benito. Are you driving?"

"Yeah, Ma. I told you, it comes out the speakers. My hands are on the wheel."

I swallow a laugh, not wanting to embarra.s.s him.

"Benito. Did you make that appointment with the..."

"Ma. I got a friend in the car. I'll make the appointment. Been busy with baseball."

"I know, Benito, but you need that scan. I can call..."

"Ma. I promise I'll call. 'Kay? Right now I'm heading to Johnny's. I'll call Monday."

"Okay, Benny. Say hi to Johnny."

"Will do, Ma. Love you."

"Love you, Benito."

"Sorry about that," he says to me. "So...what about you? Are you going back? To school?"

I don't respond immediately. I would be graduating in June if I didn't miss this semester. "I don't know. Your mom sounds nice."

"Thanks. Overbearing, but nice. You're a senior, right?"

"Yeah. I love her accent."

"Yeah. Thank G.o.d I don't have it though. So you can always finish online if you're not up to going back."

"Yeah." I didn't really think of that.

"At least you have options, right?"

"I guess." I contemplate this. Options. Do I finish online even though I'll be working my dad's farm for the rest of my life? Is that really an option? Seems like a waste of more money to me. "You have a best friend or anything?" Lame question, but I have to get off the subject of me.

"I got my team, but they're not really what you'd consider best friends. More like buddies. I like talking with Johnny. And of course Holly. She's cool. I never had a girl as just a friend before."

"Yeah. Holly is cool. But she's my best friend, Falco. No stealing."

"Right. I'd never do that." He holds up two fingers. "Scouts' honor."

"You were a boy scout?"

He laughs. Really hard. "No way. But isn't that what you're supposed to say when you're telling the truth?"

"Or 'cross my heart, hope to die,' but I like 'scouts' honor' better.

"Okay," he says. "Now I gotta pay attention. I've never gone to Johnny's from this way."

"You got it on GPS?"

"No."

"Falco, Falco, Falco," I tease, hoping he doesn't see that I'm really a bundle of nerves. That sitting so close to him for this long, just the two of us, is making me feel all sorts of tingles and nervous energy.

24.

BEN.

"Well, Duncan, why don't you take my phone right there and open the map app and help me?" he jokes.

I take the phone out of its holder and laugh. He gives me the address and I punch it in.

"Oh. We're close. Two more blocks make a right and then...a left onto Washington Place."

"Thanks."

When we pull up to the small crowded cape, the first things I notice are a makeshift wheelchair ramp and a gutter filled with old leaves.

"What a cute house," Rose says as I turn off the engine.

"Yeah."

Rose hasn't quite gotten out of the car when I reach the other side.

"You okay?" I ask, wondering if her legs still hurt from her walk.

"No, no. I'm fine. Just slow moving. I am a little nervous though."

"Don't be. He's happy to have you here."

"You told him."

"Oh yeah. I never wanna show up unexpected."

His mother answers the door, runs us through the sanitizing routine, and brings us to his room in the back. "Isaiah is with him now, but they're done with therapy."

"We can wait," Rose suggests.

"Nonsense. Isaiah's great. He won't mind at all."

"But Johnny?"

"No. Johnny won't mind either. He's coughing a lot again, so just keep a little distance. With his oxygen, he doesn't really cough, but he's stubborn and won't use it while you're here."

"Oh."

"His lungs struggle, but he's okay."

"If it's a bad time..." I start to say, but she stops me.

"Please," she says almost desperately. "He needs to see you."

"Of course."

Johnny is staring out the window while his therapist sits ankle over knee on a recliner.

"Dude. Is that how you greet your guests?"

He spins his chair around and smiles when he sees us. "Wow, Rose." His greeting is interrupted by his cough. "You look amazing."

"Oh, thank you, Johnny. I'd kiss you, but your mom said..."

"Don't listen to my mother, she's just protective." Johnny wheels himself over and Rose kisses him on the cheek.

"Hi. I'm Ben."

"Isaiah."

I sit on the couch alongside the wall. "How's it goin', John?"

A couple coughs later, "Not bad. You meet Isaiah?"

"Yeah."

"Hi," Rose and Isaiah say to each other.

"These are my friends Ben and Rose."

Isaiah nods.

"So, Rose," Johnny coughs. "How's recovery going? You're walking so well." Johnny's tone almost sounds as if his sentiment isn't genuine.

The slight drop in Rose's shoulders as she sits confirms she recognizes it too.

"Recovery's going okay," Rose answers. "What about you?"

"Eh. You know."

"He's doing wonderfully," Isaiah says. "Had some movement in his fingers."

"Really? Dude, that's excellent."

"Yeah. Look what I can do." The middle finger on Johnny's right hand slowly rises off his hand pad.

"Nice," I say before flipping him off and cracking up.

Rose looks like she doesn't know how to react.