Authors: Alexis Lauren
"Trust me, it's the least I could do." Jenna said with a smile. "Speaking of hero's, I may be Emma's, but you're definitely mine. Thank you again for getting Kyle away from me. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come in when you did. What if Colby had walked in and saw what his father was doing?" Jenna shuddered thinking about it.
"Well, I'm glad I got there when I did too." Nicholas told her with a sad smile. He picked up her hand and kissed it, then entwined their fingers, resting both hands on the arm rest between their seats. They sat there silently, just enjoying the time they were all spending together and listened to Colby and Emma talking about how when they got older, they were going to be out on that field too.
Soon after, a voice came through the loud speaker asking everyone to rise for the National Anthem. Everybody stood and removed their baseball caps. Emma and Colby sang along loudly as the 'Star Spangled Banner' played throughout the stadium. Jenna smiled at them, wishing that she could be as carefree as those kids. After that, the first pitch was thrown, signifying the start of the game.
By the seventh inning stretch, the Yanks were ties with their opponents 4-4. It was a great game all around. Even Nicholas had started rooting for the Yankees. 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' began playing and Colby and Emma got up from their seats and started dancing around, singing the song. Once it was done, Jenna grabbed Emma and told her to look up at the Jumbo-tron.
Emma looked up and saw her picture on the screen for the whole crowd to see. 'Happy 8th Birthday Emma!' flashed across the screen next to her. She waved shyly at the camera that was displaying her picture. Colby noticed that when she waved, it showed her waving on the screen too. So, he jumped in front of her, hoping to get his picture up there too. As soon as he got in front of her, his picture flashed up there and was gone a second later.
"That's what you get for hot-doggin'!" Jenna told a disappointed Colby with a laugh.
"Dad, that was so cool! Did you see me up on that big TV screen? How did they know it was my birthday? Do you think any of the kids from school saw me?" Emma asked excitedly, rapidly shooting one question after the other.
"I saw you up there Emma. Jenna told them it was your birthday and asked them to help you celebrate it. I'm sure if any of your friends are watching then they saw it." Nicholas told her.
"Thank you so much Jenna!" Emma yelled as she threw her arms around Jenna's neck to give her a big hug. "This has been the coolest birthday ever!"
"You’re welcome sweetie. I hope you enjoyed your day." Jenna told her.
"It's not over yet kiddo. I have a little surprise up my sleeve for after the game." Nicholas told Emma. He looked over at Jenna and winked and Jenna gave him a look that said she had no clue what he had planned.
The game resumed and the Yankees ended up winning 6-4. The kids were so excited that their favorite team won, and they hoped they would be able to come back for another game. Nicholas led them out of the stands, and instead of taking them out to the parking lot, he brought them to one of the security stands. He spoke to one of the guys there, and waited for a few minutes while the guy made some calls.
"What are we waiting for Mom?" Colby asked Jenna.
"I'm not sure Cole. I have no idea." She said as she looked confusedly at Nicholas. He was talking quietly with one of the security guys while she stood with Colby and Emma a few feet away.
Nicholas turned around with a big smile on his face. "Come on." He said to them as he followed a Security Officer through a hallway and some doors.
"Nicholas, are you going to tell us where we're going?" Jenna asked, getting a little nervous.
"You'll all see when we get there. You aren't the only one with surprises today." He said with a smirk.
After walking through a few underground tunnels, they reached their destination. The Security Officer went into a room, leaving the four of them outside to wait. The door that the Officer went through opened again, but instead of it being the guy who went in just a few minutes ago, it was someone else.
"Oh my god! It's Mike Mussina!" Colby yelled.
Jenna stood there in shock. Nicholas walked over and shook the pitcher's hand. "Great game tonight Moose!"
"Thanks Nicholas. It's been a while. How've you been?" Mike asked Nicholas.
"I've been doing pretty good actually. Not as good as you obviously." Nicholas said with a smirk. He looked down to Emma and said, "Hey Emma, you remember Uncle Mikey?" Emma nodded shyly.
"Uncle Mikey?" Jenna gasped.
"Oh, sorry. Mike, this is Jenna, my…" Nicholas looked unsure of what to say. "…Friend and neighbor. Jenna, this is Mike "Moose" Mussina."
Jenna was still stunned. "Nice to meet you." She said as she shook his hand.
"The pleasure is all mine." He said with a thousand-watt smile. "So, what's a beautiful woman like you doing associating with a chump like Nicholas?"
Jenna giggled like a little school girl. Nicholas saw that Jenna was having trouble formulating words and got a little annoyed, especially when he saw the look on Mike's face. "This is Jenna's son Colby." Nicholas told Mike as he pointed to the little boy who's jaw had been hanging open since he first saw Moose standing in front of him.
"Nice to meet you little man." Mike said after he finally tore his eyes from Jenna. He shook the little boy's hand and looked back to Jenna. "So, you're married?" He asked her disappointed.
"Nope, divorced." Jenna told him.
"Interesting…" Mike said, nodding his head.
"So, anyways, didn't you have something for Emma?" Nicholas asked, getting a little impatient with his friend.
"Oh, right." Mike said, snapping out of his dream-like fog and looked away from Jenna. He opened up his gym bag that he had with him and pulled some stuff out. "Ok, Emma. I heard you're a big Yankees fan from your dad here. So, he asked me to get you some stuff. Here is a jersey signed by all the players, my jersey that I wore tonight, autographed by yours truly, and the winning ball signed by me and the rest of the pitchers from tonight." He handed all the stuff to Emma. She was so excited when she saw all of it. "And, I have a ball signed by all of the players for little man over here." He said and threw the ball to Colby. Colby's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Now, how would you all like to meet some of the other players?" He asked the group.
"Mike, you don't have to do that. I don't want to bother anyone. I think Emma is happy enough to have this stuff." Nicholas told Mike.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all. The guys love meeting their biggest fans." He smiled. He looked at Jenna. "So, are you a fan?"
"Um, that's an understatement. I have love the Yankees since I was old enough to drool. Why do you think Colby is such a big fan?" Jenna told him.
"Yeah, you should see how cool she painted my bedroom. It has the Yankee pinstripes down it with a big Yankee symbol on the wall over my bed. It's so cool, you should see it!" Colby said excitedly.
"I'd love to see it sometime." He smiled. "How about we go into the locker room now. Maybe you can get some more autographs too, if you want them."
"Are you sure we aren't imposing?" Nicholas asked.
"Not at all." Mike said as he led them into the locker room.
Colby and Emma took off to talk to all their favorites. Emma had cornered Jason Giambi and Colby had cornered Derek Jeter. Jenna watched as the kids were excitedly talking to their favorite players. She could hear Colby talking about his dog and how he named him Jeter. He looked like he was in heaven.
"So, how cheesy would it be if I asked you for your autograph?" Jenna asked Mike.
"I'd be honored. Where would you like it?"
"How about my shirt? It's my favorite and I wear it all the time." Jenna told him.
"I have a better idea. Why don't I give you one of mine, and I'll get all the guys to sign it. That way, you don't have to ruin your favorite one." Mike told her. "Besides, I notice it's a Giambi jersey…that hurts. I was hoping I would be your favorite."
"Well, you are now." Jenna laughed. Nicholas rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe they were flirting with each other, right in front of him.
Mike went to get another jersey out of his locker for the guys to sign, leaving Jenna and Nicholas alone. Nicholas moved closer to Jenna and put his arm around her shoulder. "Having fun?" He asked.
"Yeah, this is so cool. How come you never told me you were friends with Mike Mussina?" Jenna asked.
"I don't know. It's not like I use it as a bargaining piece, like 'Be my friend since I'm friends with Mike Mussina.' We go way back, but we don't see each other very often." Nicholas explained.
"I understand. He seems like a nice guy." Jenna said.
"He is. He seems pretty taken with you, and it looks like you're enjoying him just as much." Nicholas said, with a little edge to his voice.
"Well, I didn't think you'd mind. I mean after all, I'm just a 'friend and neighbor', right?" Jenna gave him her edgy voice right back.
"I didn't know what to say in front of the kids. I'm sorry. I hope you're more than my friend and neighbor, but what do you want me to tell people?" Nicholas asked, sounding truly sorry.
"I'm sorry, you're right. I don't really know what to say either." Jenna apologized.
Nicholas pulled Jenna into a hug and after looking at Colby and Emma to make sure they weren't looking, he gave Jenna a soft kiss on the lips. "Do you forgive me now?" Nicholas asked.
"Hmm, I might need a few more kissed to convince me, but they can wait until later. I forgive you for now, but I'll still need those other kisses later to really forgive you." Jenna said after a few minutes of looking like she was deep in thought.
"Well, twist my arm and all, but I think I can make it up to you later." Nicholas smiled at her. He squeezed her tight in another hug, just as Mike was walking back over to them.
"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" He asked.
Jenna and Nicholas broke apart from their hug. "Sorry. No you're not interrupting anything. At least, nothing that we can't hold off until later." Nicholas said with a smirk.
"Oh, I see." Mike said, disappointed when he realized that Jenna and Nicholas may be more than friends. "Well, here's your new jersey, signed by all the guys." Mike handed her his jersey, touching her hand as he did so.
"Thanks, this is the coolest thing I've ever gotten!" Jenna said, sounding like a school girl again.
"I bet I could give you something cooler." Mike said under his breath.
"Huh?" Jenna asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said. It's pretty loud in here."
"Oh, sorry. I just said it was my pleasure." Mike lied.
"Well, we should probably get going. Mike, I expect you'll be over to the house sometime soon for a nice dinner?" Nicholas asked.
"How can I turn down a free, home-cooked meal?" Mike laughed. "I'll give you a call and we'll make plans for it. Will the lovely Jenna be attending this fine dinner?"
"I'm sure I can persuade her to come. Hell, I may even persuade her to cook since she is so much better at it than I am." Nicholas looked at Jenna and the smiled at each other. "I'll get the old gang all together and we'll make a night out of it. Will you be in town next weekend?"
"Yeah, next weekend will work for me. I'll see you both then. Call me and let me know what time, ok?" Mike replied.
"You got it. Thanks for everything Mike. We all appreciate it!" Nicholas told him.
Jenna went and rounded up Emma and Colby, then came back and thanked Mike again. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate all this today. Thank you so much for everything!" Jenna said and gave him a hug. "See you next weekend!"
"See you then. Bye everyone!" Mike said as the four people left the locker room. 'I'll definitely see you then!' Mike thought to himself, with a small smile.
*****
By the time Nicholas's SUV pulled into his driveway, both kids were asleep in the back. They had such an exciting day that it finally took a toll on them and knocked them out. Jenna smiled when she saw both kids asleep, with Emma's head resting on Colby's shoulder and Colby's head resting on Emma's head. They looked so cute sleeping like that and Jenna hated to break them apart to put them to bed. She also didn't want to wake them up and have them be so rested from the nap that it would take them hours to settle back down.
In the end, Jenna and Nicholas decided to try to carry the kids and not wake them up. They carried them up to Colby's bedroom so that Nicholas and Jenna could spend a little more time together, alone.
The kids were so worn out that they didn't wake up. Jenna put Colby in his bed, then set up the spare bed for Emma. Both kids laid in their beds, fully clothed and sawing logs.
Jenna and Nicholas went downstairs to sit in the living room and watch TV. Jenna stopped in the kitchen and got them both a couple of Pepsi's. When she got to the living room, she found Nicholas on the couch, waiting for her. "Come here, I think I have something to make up to you, right?" He asked as he pulled Jenna down on the couch and into his arms.