Ghosts (A Christian Yelich Story)

Chapter Ninety: Calm

Annie didn't meet up with me before batting practice; instead, she just took her seat in the wives-and-girlfriends section and watched from a distance. She was only a few rows behind the visiting dugout, and I could make her out from where I was standing.

It took me a moment to realize she had brought a guest, and it took me another moment to realize it was her ex, James. "What the fuck?" I muttered to myself.

Shaw was standing right next to me behind the batting practice cage setup at home plate. "What is it?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Annie brought her ex."

"Asher?" Shaw asked incredulously. "No fucking way."

"James," I said flatly.

"James Phoenix? They're friends. Don't be a baby, Yeli."

"How do you know they're friends?" I asked Shaw with a raised brow. "Why do you know all these things about my girlfriend's life?"

"I dabble in tabloids," Shaw replied with a cheesy grin.

"Regardless of their relationship, I don't want him here. This is supposed to be our time together. I already don't get enough time with her. I don't want to share it with him."

"Dude, you're playing a baseball game. She's supposed to just hang out all alone and not have any friends? You're kinda being a dick."

"It's her ex-boyfriend – not just a friend," I rationalized. "Plus, she should be getting to know the other wags."

"She can't be friends with her ex? Don't be like this. And don't force her into friendships with other people. She has enough to juggle right now. Let her have some time to adjust to the MLB."

"What am I being like?" I asked, my tone annoyed.

"Controlling. You're being controlling." With that, it was Shaw's turn to take BP, so he walked away from me.

I kept glancing over at her. She never looked out at the field; she was too absorbed by her best friend forever, James fucking Phoenix.

***

"He's having a bad night." I looked at James sadly after Christian grounded into a double play to end the inning. "I can't help but feel like my presence is giving off bad vibes." My eyes followed Christian back to the dugout, and I could see the angry expression on his face as he threw his helmet off. I could have sworn he looked right at me and then just shook his head like I had done something wrong.

James rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. You're not a superstitious person. He's just having some bad luck."

"If he keeps getting out like this, his average is going to drop below .300. He's going to be so upset."

At this point, the Giants' camera crew once again put me and James on the jumbo-tron. I gave my best fake smile as people cheered for us. James followed suit. "So freaking awkward," I muttered to James under my breath.

"Hey, on the bright side, we didn't get booed." James gave me a friendly punch in the shoulder. "Go team!"

By the time the game ended, James had already left for his hotel. Although Christian suffered at the plate, I hoped he'd be in a decent mood because the Brewers pulled off a dramatic win when they took the lead at the top of the ninth. Corey Knebel was then able to pull off the save.

I waited a bit for the crowds to clear before enlisting a staff member to help me find the visiting clubhouse. I stood in the hallway outside for at least thirty minutes while a few of the other wags stared me down. I just wasn't one of them. I was definitely in the out group. 

I played a fun game in my own head called "Who Hates Me the Most?" My bet was on the petite brunette who kept rolling her eyes at me and  then whispering things into a tall blonde's ear.

There were a couple others who didn't hang out in the pack, and one of them, who had a baby in her arms, offered me a small smile before walking over to me. "Hey, Annie. I'm Erin Suter," she said quietly, but cheerfully, before offering me her hand while still holding her child. Would I ever be that talented?

"Hey, Erin," I responded a bit nervously.

"It's good to see you here. Are you going to be at more games this season?" She sounded curious and non-judgmental, and that made my nerves subside a bit.

"For sure. I'm going to all the games in these two California series, and I'd like to make it back to Milwaukee at least once before the baby comes."

She smiled. "How are you feeling? I hated being pregnant. Everyone made it sound like it should be this amazing time in my life, but I just wanted it to be over as soon as me and Brent found out."

I laughed. "I completely agree. I've been a bit sick lately, which has only made being pregnant worse."

"Do you want to grab some food with me before the game tomorrow? We can talk about how horrible pregnancy is, and I'd love to hear about your life juggling acting and Christian. I'd like to go back into teaching, but it's tough with Brent's season and this little one here."

We exchanged numbers and continued to talk about how awful pregnancy is until Christian emerged from the clubhouse. He didn't look too thrilled to see me, and he didn't return my smile when I offered him one.

"Hey," I said sweetly despite his sour demeanor. I stood on my toes to kiss his cheek, and he didn't react to the gesture at all. No return kiss, no touch . . .

"Hi," he mumbled. "Let's get out of here."

"Don't you need to get on the team bus?"

He just shrugged and muttered that we'd get a Lyft. 

He barely said a word to me on the short drive back to the hotel.

***

"What did I do wrong this time?" she asked me while sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You shouldn't have to ask me that," I murmured under my breath.

"Is this seriously about James? Like, are you fucking kidding me, Christian? Grow up."

"It's more than just James. You wouldn't even fuck me last night after a month of not seeing one another, and then you show up to my game with your ex-boyfriend? How am I supposed to feel? You barely even watched me play. Why did you even bother coming?"

"You should feel like an immature, controlling asshole. That's how you should feel." Her words were steady and calm. "And I watched the entire game. I didn't leave my seat – not even for garlic fries. And I love garlic fries."

"You're the fucking reason I suck this year," I shouted – unable to control my emotions. I immediately realized my mistake.

"And you're the reason my stomach looks like a literal planet and I have to move back to Milwaukee." Her tone was still calm. She just shrugged, stood up, and left me alone in the hotel room . . . extremely confused.

Did she just agree to live with me in Milwaukee while ditching me?