North || Benny Rodriguez (Book 1)

2

Naomi's P.O.V.

June 2, 1962

We've been in this house for about 2 days now. Everything going as smoothly as it could go. Mom already going awol. God knows where she's at now.

I sat up looking down at sleeping Lucy laying next to me. I got up careful not to wake her and walked into the bathroom attached to the bedroom, and did my morning routine. But then soon getting stopped by Cam walking in, and laying down on the bed next to Lucy, who soon started to snuggle up against him.

I walked over to my dresser getting the clothes that I wanted to change into, then walking back into the bathroom. My regular wear, jeans, a white tank-top, my "North 45" jersey, and my P.F. Flyers.

It was dad's old jersey when he played. He called it his prize possession, won championship of '43 in this jersey. Since it meant so much to him, it meant twice as much to me. It was also one of the few jerseys we still had over the many moves we've done in the same 2 years.

I look at Cam who was surprising ready, I guess I didn't notice.

He looked up from Lucy, "So what are we going to do today?"

"I was thinking about going out to find an open field, so when we want to play, we know where to go." I explained while sitting at the end of the bed.

"Okay, that sounds like fun." He paused, "Yesterday, when you needed me to go out to a store to get stuff for lunch, I ran into some guys at the drug store. They play baseball at their own field not that far from here. Maybe they won't mind if we play on it, since they have already met me."

I smiled, "Okay, let's wake up Lucy and walk over there."

——

I held my bat and a ball in my right hand, and a bottle of water in my other. Cam was walking on my right, and Lucy, slowly walking on my left, holding my wrist.

She has a tendency to do that, not just when we are walking, but also when we sitting down, or when she is sleeping next to me. I haven't figured out why she does it, but one time when I explained that to Cam, he said that maybe she does it because she's afraid of me leaving or losing me. That could be an answer, but for Lucy, I really don't think that may be the case.

I stop when I see Cam walking over to a chain linked gate, and watched how he got in. I first pass over Lucy to Cam, then followed Cam actions getting in. Luckily enough, the boys weren't here, but I don't blame them, it's extremely hot out here.

I walk over to the pitchers mound, and look at Cam who was at home plate getting into his stance. I smirk at him, twisting my cap, and bring the ball to my glove. I bring up my left leg, while throwing my right one back, and throw him my best pitch, I call it, ni. It's short for Naomi, but when I learned to pitch, I was nine. That's when dad showed me how to do it.

He took a swing, and casting it out to left field, not getting a homer, but hitting it on the fence that lined it.

I smiled looking back at him, "What happened Cam?"

"Oh, well I got distracted by the dog barking." He twisted his cap to.

"Cam, there's no dogs." I laughed, holding my hand above my eyes.

"Well not now, but when I was batting there was, you just couldn't hear them." He looked down pushing the dirt around.

"Shut up and pitch to me." I laughed coming toward the home plate. He walked off getting his glove and followed my actions but going to the pitchers mound.

"Okay Ni, this is the camanator, I dare you to hit this!" He yelled from the mound and started to wind up.

I smirked gripping up on the neck of the bat. As I saw that ball coming towards me, I knew right where it was doing to be, right where I wanted it.

I stepped with my left into the ball, swing that bat at 90 miles in hour, as my dad would call it, and watched that ball travel in the left field, right over that fence.

"North! Why do you have a girl on our field?" I heard over my amazement on the ball I just hit.

I shake out of it, and look to my left to see a group of guys standing there, gloves and bats in their hands.

"Uh, guys, this is my sister," he paused looking at me.

"Naomi." I heard, I look back at the group seeing Benny stepping in front of them.

"Oh, hey Benny." I waved awkwardly. I dropped the bat to my side, walking over to the dugout.

"Yeah, that's my sister Naomi." He said pointing at me coming closer.

"Were you the one who just hit that ball in Mr. Mertles yard?" One asked.

"If that's the one with the gate fence over there, then yes I am." I stated, sitting down on the bench.

"Man, you know how to play." He continued.

"Shut up Denunez, she's a girl, she could be lying." One responded, hitting his arm.

I rolled my eyes, seeing that I'm not about to get anywhere with these 8 year olds.

"Well, I think I'll be going." I stood up from the bench, "Wait, where is Lucy?" I looked around the field seeing if she was taking any "pictures" but I couldn't see her anywhere.

"Who's Lucy?" Another asked asked.

"My little sister, did you guys see a little girl walking around here? She's 5, brown hair that was in pony tails, and she has a fake camera in her hand. Did any of you see her?" I started freaking out.

"Calm down Ni, we haven't been here that long." Cam said coming up to me.

"Cam," I paused, panicking, "we got to find her." I started walking past them and to the gate that we came in from. I looked at the little road that ran by. I looked to the right and then to the left, and seeing there was more stuff to the left. So instincts say, she would go that way.

I looked back at Cam, "Let's start this way."

He nodded following behind me, then seeing all the other guys were also coming.

I ran down the road and looking at the different alley ways. That's when I heard a little scream. I turned back around to see all the guys stopping behind me, and seeing they are having the same reaction.

That's when I heard it again. "Shit." I mumbled going to the right, down an alley.

I kept going, following her screams, I see her scrabbling in a strangers hands. The stranger had a hold to her arm, trying to calm her down. I ran faster over to them.

"Get off of her." I growled at the man holding her.

"Sorry I was just trying to help- ." He tried to explained moving away from her. I bent down, bringing her into my arms.

"I understand that, but she has autism and doesn't understand that." I looked down as I saw Lucy bawling her eyes out.

"It's okay, I'm here now." She sniffed then hiccuped. I laughed a little picking her up.

The man walked back into his yard, leaving us in the alley by ourselves. "Thank you for following me, but I think I can handle it from here." I told the guys.

They nodded as they walked away and Cam stayed back. I put my hand on the back of Lucy's head as she buried her head into my shoulder.

"What are you doing? Don't you want to go play with them?" I asked looking down at Cam.

He looked up at me with happy eyes, "You mean it?"

I chuckled and nodded, "We are only going to be here for like 4 months, might as well make them count."

He smiled giving me and side hug and running towards them.

"Bring my bat back home!" I yelled at him as he ran off.

I side eyed Lucy in my shoulder, "Lucy you almost gave me a damn heart attack."

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