The Hitting Zone
chapter-730

By Wednesday morning I had a reply from him.

"He wants to talk with Coach?" Noah was surprised, looking at my phone as we ate at the table.

I nodded. "So I guess I'll just see him there tomorrow."

"I wonder what he wants to say?" Noah was confused just like me.

I shrugged.

We talked it over breakfast while the twins talked over their chances to pitch today. They did have a day's worth of rest.

"One of us might get to face Jake today." Dave mused.

"Garret might get that opportunity first though?" Kyle suggested.

"Nah. He would have faced him day one." Dave said. "Plus, I think Coach has heard that Garret would do a showdown with Jake on Friday afternoon."

Kyle was convinced. He nodded. "Yea, with Mitchell." He looked to me. "You nervous yet?"

"About batting? No." I ate in peace.

"Spoken like a true prodigy." Noah grinned.

"I want a rematch now that it's been six months." Dave looked at me. "You should let all the pitchers who don't have a chance to face you in scrimmages this week, also do a showdown on Friday."

"Yea! Make a big thing about it!" Kyle nodded in agreement. "That would be cool to see."

Noah ate his banana thoughtfully. "I wonder if Coach was telling the truth when he said that whoever strikes Jake out, makes the varsity team."

"Coach doesn't lie." Zeke came into the dining room just in time to hear us talking. He sat down and helped himself to some eggs.

Mom and Dad had already left for their office, having scheduled some morning meetings.

"What took you so long to get out of bed this morning?" Kyle asked Zeke. Usually he was the first one down, never the last.

"I was on the phone with Coach Leroy. From Stanford." He answered plainly.

"Why was he calling so early?" Dave asked, surprised.

"It's not that early. It's after 8am." Kyle pointed out. Then looked to Zeke. "But really, what was it for?"

He replied simply. "I was letting him know when I would show up to move into the dorms. Mom wanted a plan so I made a plan."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "You told him? Not him telling you? Don't athletes get to move in early? Even if they aren't in season?"

"I volunteered for his camp. He knows where I'm at." Zeke said. "I'm also considered a local so there's no reason for me to rush to school. I told him I wasn't going to move in until Sunday August 25th."

Noah grinned, catching on quicker than the rest of us. "Ah! I see."

Zeke looked at him. "You do?"

Noah smirked. "Jake's court date is Friday August 23rd. You don't want to leave until then?"

I looked at Zeke, surprised.

Zeke shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I talked it over with Rhys and he wanted to spend some extra time with his dad, working on his pitches."

"We get you for two and a half more weeks." Dave concluded. "We should do something special. Like a camping trip or a day at the beach. All we do together is baseball. Practice for baseball. Talk about baseball. Watch baseball."

"What's wrong with baseball?" Noah asked, slightly offended.

"Nothing much. It's just been a while since we've done something else." Dave said. "Like we haven't even played in the arcade for a long time. How is Jake ever going to get good if he doesn't practice?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Jake is not interested." Noah said for me. "We all know Jake would like to be in the batting cages instead anyways."

I nodded.

"But what about the beach?? We haven't been to the beach all summer?" Dave pushed. "I want to go in the ocean before it gets too cold."

"It'd be cool to do a beach day." Kyle nodded. "I would invite Marie though."

I started to nervously tap my own leg, trying to think of a reason to say no. I just had to be honest. "I don't...want to." I spoke up.

"Yea, that's not really Jake's thing." Noah defended me. "He can't swim yet and it's not like he can sunbathe."

"We can put him under an umbrella." Dave pointed out. "Come on. Please?"

"If Jake gets a laser treatment done, he can't really go outside for too long. His skin will be too sensitive." Zeke said, drawing attention to himself. "I heard Dad say his appointment is Tuesday."

The twins looked a little sad after being shot down.

"You guys can go without me?" I offered. I really wasn't interested in the beach, but I didn't want to hold them back.

"I'll stay here with Jake." Noah said. "I can catch him up on a few more sports movies."

"It's not the same if we all don't go." Dave shrugged. "We'll just have to go when Jake gets better."

I scratched my cheek, unsure if I should tell him that it would take a few treatments before I was 'ready'.

"If we have to be home all next week, I wonder if Mitchell will be available to come over and catch for us." Kyle mused.

"I'll catch for you guys." Zeke offered.

Their jaws dropped.

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Really, really??"

He let out a small chuckle. "I said I would. Pitch limit at a hundred. For each of you."

Noah pouted. "What about me?"

"What about you?" Dave laughed.

"You don't pitch." Kyle also laughed.

"I'll do one last thing with each of you." Zeke spoke up. "Whatever you want it to be. Your choice. Me playing catcher, or going on a run. You kids have me for the next two weeks."

"Kids??" The twins said in unison, disgusted.

"You're barely a year older." Kyle got up first. "Be careful if I don't join you at Stanford next year." He took his dishes to the kitchen sink.

"I wouldn't mind." Zeke said confidently. "You'll have to compete against Rhys for starts."

"I'll be on his level soon enough." Kyle said with determination. "Maybe I should consider a league rival? Like Cal?"

"Something you haven't considered," Noah interjected. "Is that your grades suck. You're not smart enough for Stanford or Cal." He jumped up and out of Kyle's reach.

Kyle caught up to him in two strides. "What was that, you punk??" He started to aggressively rub his head.

"Stop!" Noah struggled. "You're going to make me go bald."

"Would you rather be tickled?!" Kyle held him up in the air and carried him to Dave. "Get him!"

Dave didn't hold back and mercilessly attacked Noah's armpits.

I laughed at the commotion they were making so early in the morning.

Zeke sighed. "You guys haven't matured at all. I'm scared to find out what will happen when I go to college." He checked his watch. "If you guys don't leave soon, you'll be late."

That got the twins to stop what they were doing and hurried to the front door.

"Can't be late today!"

"We have a chance to pitch!"

They ran out.

"You two better go as well before they leave you." Zeke told Noah and me. "I'll clean up here. Remind them that we're meeting at the deli for lunch." He waved us off.