~ Chapter Forty Four ~

Nick tapped the end of his bat on the concrete floor, not really paying attention to Brian hitting in the batting cage in front of him.  So this was the life of a baseball player outside of New York.  Even on off days - they ended up at the batting cages.  Maybe there were players in New York that did the same thing, Nick had just never hung out with them.  Now, instead of going out on the town like Howie, he was sitting in a warehouse full of batting cages with Brian and Kevin.  It was strange to think how much his life had changed in the last eight months. 

Kevin was standing to the side of the cage, critically eyeing Brian's swing.  If Nick had been hitting like Kevin was, he wouldn't have been critiquing anyone else, but Kevin was strange that way.  The weird thing was, Nick didn't mind Kevin's constant criticism anymore.

"Kevin, don't you have to get Becky today?" Brian asked absently, concentrating on his hitting.

"S---!"  Kevin yelped, staring at his watch.  "Since when are you on top of things, Bri?" He added.

"This is my new MVP leaf."  Brian grinned, stepping out of the cage.  "I'll see you Friday, ‘kay?"

"What?  We're just taking tomorrow off?"  Kevin neatly packed his bats away into their bag, his green eyes raising to Brian's.

"Nah..."  Brian wrinkled his nose.  "I've got doctor appointments tomorrow.  They have to hook me up to all those stupid machines again."

Nick frowned.  Everything would be going along smoothly, and then Brian would say something like that.  He was sure Brian didn't do it on purpose, but it always put a damper on Nick's day.  Nick could pretend everything was fine, until Brian made a little offhand comment, either about doctor's appointments, or painkiller or something similar, and Nick would be hit with the now all too familiar sickening feeling that his best friend was dying.

"Don't look at me like that."  Brian glared at his cousin.  "Mental note to self: Don't tell Kevin anything..."

"It's not that."  Kevin protested.  "It's just weird when you say something like that, because half the time I keep forgetting something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."  Brian corrected.  "It's just a routine checkup, Kevin.  Don't go and flip out on me here, okay?"

Kevin still looked skeptical, which was exactly how Nick felt.  "Okay..."  Kevin said finally, hoisting his equipment bag.  "I'm gonna be late, and then Becky'll be mad."

"Tell me about it."  Brian laughed. 

Kevin flashed a peace sign at Brian and Nick in parting, and strode off towards the parking lot. 

Brian smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand.  "Holy crap.  I've gotta watch what I say around him.  He worries too much."

"Can't you say s--- like a normal person?"  Nick wondered idly.

Brian giggled, then sat down on the bench next to Nick, sitting cross-legged with his elbows propped on his knees.  He was quiet for a moment, but not very long.  Brian couldn't just sit in silence. "Nick?"

"What?"  There was a serious conversation in the wings.  Nick could feel it. 

"You know, sometimes I wonder what the point is."

"To what?"

"Everything."  Brian shook his head.  "What's the point of me going through all of this?"  He was silent for a moment.  "Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe God has a plan for everything?"

Nick shook his head slowly.  "If he does, he's out to screw me, that's for sure."

"Oh, aren't we cynical this afternoon!"  Brian teased.

"So you think your tumor is some kind of plan?"  Yes, Nick was feeling cynical.  So sue him.  He had a right to. 

"Well..."  Brian said slowly, thinking out loud.  "I always did, but now... I don't know."  He sounded as if he was begging Nick for some kind of reassurance, and Nick had no idea what to say to him.  Nick wasn't the one that dished out advice - that was Brian's department.  Things were changing, and Nick didn't like it one bit.

~*~

"When was the last time I painted my toenails?"  Felicia asked.

AJ set down the Sports Illustrated article he had been scanning.  Felicia was sitting next to him on the couch, sticking her bare feet out in front of her and eyeing them critically. 

"Well..."  AJ patted her stomach.  "I'm gonna say it's been a while."

"They look terrible."  Felicia shook her head. 

"Why does it matter?  You can't even see them."  AJ reasoned, going back to his article.  AJ wasn't a sports freak.  The only reason he was even reading Sports Illustrated was because there was yet another article about the Mariners playoff chances, and he wanted to see what adjective they used to describe him.  ‘Off the wall' - well, it wasn't the best he had ever seen.  ‘Crazy but harmless' had been a good one.  So had ‘whacked out, but still owner of the lowest ERA in the league'.  AJ was proud of his whacked out status.  His ERA - he didn't care as much about that. 

"Other people can see them."  Felicia pointed out.

"I'm not going to paint your nails."  AJ said mildly, flipping the page.  Basketball - big fat deal.

"Why?"  Felicia countered primly, giving him her best pouting face.

AJ forgot to breathe for a moment, the magazine forgotten on the couch next to him.  Even without makeup, and her hair clipped back from her face haphazardly, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.  He leaned over, wrapping one arm around her neck, and kissed the tip of her nose.

Felicia laughed.  AJ smiled in response.  It was nice to hear her laugh again.  She'd been more than just a little moody lately.  He reached down, running his other hand along her cheekbone, then, tipped her face up towards him, barely brushing her lips with his.

The Sports Illustrated magazine bopped him on the back of the head.  "Okay, I want to see daylight between the two of you RIGHT now!"  Denise barked, doing her best imitation of a chaperone breaking up a junior high makeout session. 

"Geez, Mom!"  AJ yelped, glaring up at her.  "Go away!"

"I wish I had the camera."  Denise sighed.  "You two are so cute together."  She disappeared into the kitchen, still commenting on how cute they were.

"Please tell me she's not getting the camera."  Felicia giggled.

"She can't.  I kind of, um..." AJ coughed.  "...hid it.  After she starting taking pictures at dinner the other night."  He leaned back over, ready to pick up where he had left off.

"Alex?"  Felicia stopped him.

AJ smirked.  "What color?"

"Red."  Felicia said instantly.

Of course she was going to say red.  Why had he even bothered to ask?  "Red it is."  He took the short way to the stairs, climbing over the back of the couch.  "I love you."  He added, patting the top of her head.

He knew what she was going to say to that one too.  Every single time - she said the exact same thing.