Curveball

"Well, I'm glad because you've made me feel...hopeful...again, and I guess that's such a bad thing after all."

"Then I'm glad, too," he told her before leaning down and kissing her on the cheek.

She not only didn't flinch or pull away she turned to kiss his cheek, too. Then she looked down and said quietly, "G'night, Lloyd."

"Goodnight...beautiful," he said.

"Stop!" she said giving him a playful push.

When he left she stood there smiling for quite a while and feeling like the life wasn't being sucked out of her for the first time in a very long while. And it had been almost as nice to be told she was attractive by a good-looking man. Well, indirectly anyway.

At the agreed-upon time, Lloyd was there waiting when the little black Corolla pulled in next to him.

He grabbed his glove and the three new baseballs he'd just bought and jumped out and ran over to open Shelby's door.

"Well, thank you!" she said. "I wasn't expecting that."

"You should," he told her as Teddy hopped out of the other side.

"I am so psyched!" Teddy said as he clutched his glove.

"All right. Let's get this party started!" Mullens said as he put his hand on Teddy's shoulder and walked him to the field.

Lloyd held the ball in his hands and said, "Okay. First thing is the grip. See how the seams run like this?"

"Uh-huh," Teddy said as he watched intently.

"Hold your middle finger and first finger close together like so and along this seam to create more spin. Now let me show you the motion and the release."

Lloyd showed Teddy the difference between the way a fastball was held and released and then a curveball.

"So it's kind of a down snap like a yo-yo," Teddy said as he tried imitating what Lloyd was doing.

"Yeah! That's a good analogy. Okay. I'll be the catcher and you toss me a few fastballs first to warm up your arm. Nice and easy, okay?"

He let Teddy throw about 25 easy tosses then said, "Now a little harder."

Ten more and Lloyd said, "You ready?"

"I'm ready!" Teddy said excitedly.

"Don't worry about where the first few go, okay? My first ball went about 30 feet over my dad's head."

"Got it!" Teddy said before winding up.

He held on a little too long and the ball slammed into the ground about 20 feet in front of Mullens. He caught it on one hop and said, "Just the opposite of my first curve. Try and remember how that felt and let go just a little bit earlier."

The second ball was way high, but Mullens was able to jump and still catch it.

"Not bad. That's what we call 'bracketing'. You go way low then way high. Then a little low and a little high and all of a sudden you're throwing strikes."

The next pitch hit the plate, but both he and Teddy saw it break before it bit the dust.

"I did it! I threw a curveball. Shelby? Did you see it?" he hollered.

"I sure did!" she yelled back having no idea what he'd done.

She couldn't see any difference between it and any other pitch he'd thrown, but he was excited so she hollered, "Good job, Teddy!"

It took him a half dozen more tries, but just as Mullens had told him, he was throwing curveballs for strikes in no time.

"Now, the harder you throw and the more you snap your wrist, the sharper the ball breaks," he told him. "Remember, you can change speeds, too. There's nothing like firing a fastball then coming back with a slow curve."

They played catch for a few more minutes before Lloyd said, "That's enough for today. We don't want to tire your arm out for the weekend game, right?"

Teddy was chattering away non-stop as they walked over to Shelby.

"So...what'd you think?" Lloyd asked her.

"I think...my brother is awesome and you are amazing!" Shelby said happily as she reached out to give Teddy a hug.

"Where's mine?" Lloyd said pretending to be hurt.

Shelby gave him a look that involved one eye being nearly closed then said, "Okay. Fine. You can have a hug, too."

She was sitting on a bench when she hugged Teddy and was still sitting when she opened her arms to hug Mullens. Without warning, he pulled her to her feet, grabbed her, hugged her tight then swung her around causing her to squeal with delight as she kicked her feet and held on for dear life.

Lloyd's back was to Teddy when he set her down and he quietly said, "I don't want this to end, Shelby."

"Lloyd. Be realistic. I have a ten-year old brother. He comes with the deal. You can't possibly...."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he told her, his arms still around her waist.

"I don't want him...or myself...to get hurt again," she said quietly.

"You won't," he told her. "I won't hurt either of you, Shelby. Ever."

"Are you guys in love or something?" Teddy said in that kid-like voice, squinting as he looked to see what they were doing.

The adults laughed then Teddy said, "Cause if you are, aren't you supposed to kiss and stuff?"

Lloyd tilted his head then said, "He's right, you know."

"Oh, he is, is he?" she said smiling up at him.

"Uh-huh. He is," Teddy informed his sister.

"Well, then maybe you should kiss me," she said her body tingling from head to toe as he leaned down and kissed her softly for the first time.

"Okay, okay. That's enough!" Teddy called out almost immediately.

Both of them laughed again as they turned around now holding hands.

"Can we eat dinner now?" Teddy asked causing them both to laugh again.

Shelby stopped smiling knowing they were down to their last few slices of bread at home. She'd decided she would sign up for SNAP benefits, the fancy term for food stamps, but for now, Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard was nearly bare.

"Um, sure, buddy. We'll head home and get something," she said not wanting Lloyd to know how desperate things were. Thankfully, the next day was payday and she could go to the grocery store again.

He sensed something was wrong so he said cheerfully, "Hey. You guys need to come over to my place so I can make dinner for you."

Before Shelby could answer Teddy said, "You can cook?"

"Not really but I can microwave with the best of them," he said with a straight face. "And I've got all kinds of TV dinners in the freezer. Some of them are even edible."

"I love TV dinners!" Teddy said. "Shell? Can we? Pl...."

"Yes. Okay. We can go to Lloyd's house," she said cutting him off pretending she was being put out to do so.

"I guess we'll follow you," Shelby said as they got to their vehicles.

"I was born to lead," Lloyd said with a smile.

"Can I ride with Lloyd, Shell?" Teddy asked.

"Um...sure. That sounds okay," she said with a happy smile.

"Yeah. We men need some guy time, right?" Lloyd said to Teddy offering a high five.

"Right!" Teddy said slapping hands before running around to his side.

"Lloyd? What's going on here?" Shelby asked when her brother couldn't hear.

"I'm way out of practice, but I think it's called...a relationship," he told her. "Or at least that's what I'd like it to be. But if you aren't into guys who have to pee all the time...."

The concern drained from Shelby's face as she laughed loudly.

"You nut! Okay. Fine. I'll see you at your place."

Her smile told him she at least wasn't completely opposed to the idea of a relationship, and he couldn't help but smile with satisfaction as he stepped up into the cab.

He and Teddy talked about the curve, baseball, his friend Connor, and then about being a Navy SEAL the whole way to Lloyd's place.

The evening flew by as the three of them talked and laughed and ate whatever Lloyd had in the freezer in the way of TV dinners. He had to admit they'd come a long way since he was kid. These were not only edible, they weren't half bad.

Teddy devoured one and was still hungry, so Lloyd helped him polish off a second dinner before they sat down to relax.

"I don't have PS3 but I do have Xbox. Is it okay if Teddy plays it in my bedroom?" Lloyd asked Shelby while the boy was in the bathroom washing up after dinner.

"Sure. He'd love that," she said. "And maybe you can tell me what's going on between us because I'm still very confused."

He reached out and pulled her to him causing her to yelp happily then put her hand over her mouth.

"Shhh!" she said mostly to herself as she put her arms around his broad shoulders.

"This is going on," he told her. "You and me. Me and you. And...Teddy. It's no more complicated than that."

"It's just...it's just all happening so fast," she said as she looked into his eyes.

"We can take it slow," he told her. "I've got all the time in the world."

"Slow? Um...you're not exactly a spring chicken, mister," she teased trying not to laugh.

"Well, I'd say you make up for whatever it is I'm not in that department," he told her.

"I have no idea what that means," she said with a bright, happy smile.

"It means...."

He leaned down and kissed her again and heard her moan softly. The kiss lasted several seconds and was once again interrupted by a young voice.

"Again?" Teddy said loud enough to startle his sister a second time.

"He's like a Ninja," Lloyd said. "I didn't hear a thing."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to tie a bell around his neck," Shelby said still smiling happily.

"Speaking of Ninjas, have you ever played Ninja Gaiden?" Lloyd asked him.

"On Xbox?" Teddy said almost too excited to speak. "You have that?"

"That's the one. Come on. Let's go play!" Lloyd said.

He grabbed Shelby's hand and pulled her along, too, and a minute later they were taking turns playing the game on Lloyd's bed.

"This is the best day ever!" Teddy said about another day with Lloyd as he pushed buttons furiously.

The adults stayed a few more minutes then Lloyd said, "Do you mind if we take a break for a little while, buddy?"

Teddy didn't hear them or notice them laugh or even when they got up to leave. He was making the kinds of noises kids make when they're 'killing' everything they see in a video game.

"He's in heaven," Shelby said as they walked to the living room.

Lloyd stopped her and put his arms around her then said, "Not to be too corny, but...so I am."

He kissed her again and when it ended she said, "Corny is good. Corny works for me."

For the next two hours they talked and laughed and held hands and kissed more than a few times while Teddy did his best to defeat the Ninja warriors.

The TV was on in the background and at some point Shelby said, "This is Memorial Day weekend."

"Oh, right. Yes, it is," Lloyd said trying not to think about the friends he'd lost in two wars over the last 14 or so years of his life.

"Did you have friends who, you know, didn't come home?" she asked very respectfully.

"A few," he told her without emotion.

"Did the dog tags you gave to Teddy belong to one of them by chance?" she asked pretty sure she knew the answer since they weren't his.

"Yes, they did," was all he said.

She snuggled up close and said, "I can't even imagine."

"I'm glad," he told her. "That's means we did our jobs well."

"You're the first person I've ever known who served in the military," she told him.

"Really?" he asked having a hard time believing that.

"I mean, I know of people who served. I just don't know any of them personally," she explained.

"How am I doing as your um...first?" he asked with a smile.

"Oh! That was cute," she told him trying not to laugh.

She smiled then said, "Then again, so are you, in an 'old guy' kind of way."

"What? Old guy? I'll have you know I resemble that remark," he told her as he pulled her onto his lap.

She smiled as she lay there and as she looked up at him she said, "Wow. You're the king of corn. And for the record, you're doing pretty wonderful here, sailor. You know, as my first."

He gently stroked her short hair then told her, "Now that you're in my life, I'm feeling pretty wonderful myself."

She reached up and put her hand behind his head then pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. Several seconds later, and for the first time, she offered him her tongue. When he did the same thing in return, she moaned softly again as the kiss grew deeper and longer.

"You know Teddy's here, right?" she said when it ended.

"I do," he told her. "And he's having fun. Just like us."

"Not just like us," she said sweetly with a big smile.

"Come here," he said lifting up to kiss her.

This time the kissing grew very deep, and Shelby gently pulled one of his arms away and pushed his hand toward her breast. She was maybe a full B and always felt like her boobs were a metaphor for her overall looks—'not bad'. She gasped when he cupped it then moaned when he squeezed it. She felt him growing hard as her back pushed into his crotch and moaned again as she wriggled against him.

"For the first time ever, I'm wishing my brother wasn't with me," she whispered.

"We have time," Lloyd said in a low, quiet voice.

"I really want you," she said her mouth right next to his ear.

Lloyd lowered his hand from her soft breast to the area between her legs and pushed against the denim material causing Shelby to gasp.

He undid the top two buttons of her jeans and slid his hand inside. There was a blanket behind Lloyd on top of the couch which Shelby pulled down to cover her as she undid two more buttons and pulled her pants down just enough to grant him access.

She bit her lip as his finger found her swollen nub and began circling it.

"Yesss!" she said quietly, her eyes closed, her breathing long and slow.

The pressure increased then stopped as one of his fingers entered her briefly before returning to where it was making tiny, sweet little circles.

"Oh...God!" she cried softly as Lloyd repeated the motion many times bringing her to the edge over and over.

She pressed his hand against her as she kissed him long and hard. This time he didn't stop or pull away until he felt her body go rigid. Lloyd continued pressing and circling as she stifled a scream.

"Ohhh...ssshit!!!" she said ever-so quietly as her body shook and trembled thanks to her first orgasm in many weeks.

As she lay there trying to catch her breath he smiled at her when she finally opened her eyes.

"That was...amazing!" she told him. "So, so amazing! I wish I could repay the favor. I'm so far in debt to you it's scary."

"Payback time is coming," he assured her with a smile.

"Mmmm. I can't wait if it's anything like the downpayment," she cooed.

"Oh, it's a whole lot like that...and more," he told her.

"Uh-huh. I can feel how much...more it is. It's been jabbing me for a while now in...my back," she said trying not to laugh playing off the word 'payback'.

"Ah, yes. I believe you've charmed the snake," he told her.

As hard as she tried not to, Shelby burst out laughing.

"Was that the bedroom door?" she said, frantically reaching for her pants as fast as she could.

She just got them pulled up then quickly turned sideways as though she was just casually watching TV on Lloyd's lap when Teddy came in.

"Do you guys wanna play?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Sure. I'll be right there, buddy," Lloyd said as Teddy looked at his sister laying on his lap.

"I swear," he said shaking his head as he went back to the bedroom.

Shelby waited until the door closed before she lost it.

"That was way too close!" she said when she stopped laughing.

"I think we seriously need to get a room," Lloyd told her as she sat up then stood up and buttoned her pants.

"You go play with Teddy. I need to pee," Shelby said before she helped him stand then give him a very nice 'see you in a minute' kiss.

"They have medication for that," he said teasing her.

"Oh, you are so gonna get it, mister!" she warned him.

"Hmmm. Is that a promise?" he said with a smile hoping he might be 'getting it' someday soon.

"Maybe," she said coyly with a happy smile before disappearing into the bathroom.

Shelby heard the guys whooping and hollering in the bedroom as soon as she stepped into the hallway. She walked to the bedroom door then peeked in as she saw Teddy laying on Lloyd's back as they 'did battle'.

"You got me!" Lloyd said as Teddy sliced on his guys.

"I told you I was good at this game!" he said.

Shelby stood there and watched her brother having so much fun, and yet again felt like crying. He'd been through so much with the booze and the neglect and then the accident. And all the while he lived with the horrible things other kids said to about the way she looked.

"You did not just do that to me!" Lloyd said loudly.

"Oh, yes I did!" Teddy said even louder.

Shelby blinked a couple of times then walked in a said, "I play the winner!"

"That's gonna be me!" Teddy said as he twisted and turned his controller.

"Ah, man!!!" Lloyd said as his last life drained away.

He was still underneath Teddy as he handed Shelby the remote.

"This guy is too good for me. You give it a try, okay?"

She climbed up and laid next to him then smiled when he turned his head toward her. He'd never looked 'old' to her but suddenly he didn't even look old-er. He just looked like a man she wouldn't mind spending the rest of her life with—were he to ever ask.

"Okay. It's time somebody taught you a lesson in humility, Mr. Big Pants!" Shelby said to her brother.

"Well, it isn't gonna be some girl!" he said defiantly but in a voice that warmed Shelby's heart as she felt like laying here next to this wonderful man was the most natural thing ever.

After Teddy destroyed Shelby in record time she said, "I'm sorry, buddy, but we're gonna have to get ready to go home."

"Ahh! Do we have to?" he said clutching the controller.

"I'm afraid so. I'm pretty sure Mr. Mullens is about ready to go crazy from all our nonsense."

Lloyd said quietly, "Actually, he's thinking that saying goodbye is about the suckiest thing he can think of."

Shelby was on her tummy, too, and looking back at him.

"Yeah, it does sound pretty sucky, doesn't it?"

"I gotta pee!" Teddy said suddenly as he set the controller down and slid off the bed.

"He's worse than me," Lloyd said. He smiled then said, "No...he's worse than you!"

"Oh, really?" Shelby said raising up.

"Oh, really," Lloyd replied as he pulled her on top of him before kissing her.

"Do you really have to go?" he asked as he touched her cheek.

"We...we can't just shack up. Can we?" she asked as her eyes danced with his.

"I do have a tent large enough for the three of us. We could...go camping in the back yard," he told her.

"Well, I do have the weekend off, and I get paid by direct deposit so I don't have to go to work in the morning," she said sweetly. "And Teddy would love to camp out no matter where it is."

"My back yard is entirely fenced in and we could see the tent from my bedroom."

Shelby sat up and looked through the window.

"Why yes we can," she agreed.

"Since we could keep on eye on Teddy even if we're not physically in the tent with him the entire time...."

"Are you saying we could maybe, you know, slip away for a little while?"

"Uh-huh. Someplace soft and warm."

"Oh, I see. Is that because of your aging back?" she said trying not to smile.

He flipped her over and she laughed loudly before he said, "According to my plan, you would be the one on her back."

Shelby giggled then said, "I think I might like being on my back...in your bed."

"Do you guys ever take a break?" Teddy said causing Shelby to laugh uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" her brother asked.

"Your sister is just really excited about going camping," Lloyd said.

"Camping?" Teddy repeated, his eyes growing wide.

"Yes. Camping," Shelby said looking over at him from underneath Lloyd. "How would you like to sleep in a tent with us tonight?"

"TV dinners, Xbox, and now camping? I love my life!" he said as he bent backwards and held up his fists in triumph.