Happenstance by Jamie McGuire Page A

thoughts were consumed by Weston, and
Sam and Julianne. They had come over every night that week for dinner, and were
coming over for dinner again after I left work Saturday evening. I couldn’t
pinpoint why, but this time it felt important.
    On Saturday, Weston gave me a ride to work, and then drove across
the street to warm up at the ball fields. He had a home game in a few hours
that I wasn’t happy about missing, but thankfully the scoreboard was visible
over the wall. I tied the apron strings behind my back, and walked to the
front, greeting Frankie with a smile.
    “I thought you had a closet full of designer clothes to choose
from,” Frankie said.
    “I don’t want to wear that stuff to work. I don’t want to ruin
it.” Lila had been washing and drying one of my two pairs of jeans every
evening before she left for the day so I could pack them in my book bag and
change into them for work. A lot of Whitney’s clothes were very feminine and
very expensive. Her shoes were a half size too big, but I didn’t complain. This
was the first time I’d worn brand name anything, much less designer clothes,
but at work, I wore my worn, secondhand jeans and shirts.
    We were slow for a Saturday, and Frankie and I passed the time discussing
her kids, but mostly we talked about my new living arrangements, and what my
life was like now. She grinned at me a lot when I talked, and I know that she
was happy for me, but there was a sadness in her eyes that I couldn’t quite
decipher.
    “Are you happy?” she asked.
    “I don’t know. I think so. More than I have been before.”
    Her eyes softened. “Good. Did you get the rest of your things
from Gina?”
    “We stopped by Gina’s on Tuesday. I wasn’t sure about just
walking in, so I knocked. She didn’t answer, so I walked in.”
    “Did you get everything you needed?”
    I nodded. I didn’t mention to Frankie that Soul Asylum was
playing loudly when I walked in, so I rushed through my room and the bathroom,
grabbing anything I thought I’d need—my other pair of jeans, my toothbrush, a
razor, the little bit of makeup that I owned, underwear, bras, and a sketch
pad. I left behind everything else.
    “What did Gina have to say to you? Anything?”
    I looked over at the score board. The game had just started.
    “Why don’t you go over there and watch him? We’re not busy.”
    “I need the hours.”
    Frankie winked. “No you don’t. You’re an Alderman now. They’re
going to take care of you, Erin. You can finally be a teenager for once.”
    I thought about that for a moment then smiled. Tossing my apron
on the hook, I jogged across the street and walked into the stadium. I’d never
been to a baseball game before. Not many people were sitting in the bleachers
besides a handful of students and the families of the players.
    “Erin!” Weston was standing on the other side of the fence in his
uniform and ball cap, his shaggy brown hair sticking out the bottom. He slipped
his fingers through the wires of the fence, beaming.
    I approached the fence. “Frankie let me off to watch your game.”
    “I’m going to have to step it up a notch then.” He winked and
jogged back to the dugout.
    I spent my Saturday afternoon sitting on the bleachers, baking in
the direct sun. It felt glorious. Weston made it to third base once, and the
next time hit a home run. He played first base and got three players on the
opposite team out. Once he even caught the ball right as it careened off the
bat. The popping sound the ball made when it hit Weston’s glove made my hand
hurt, but he was all smiles, and they all ran in off the field.
    When they got their things together and listened to the coach
speak, Weston made his way up to the bleachers and gave me a peck, sitting next
to me. It was the first time he’d kissed me in public, and I didn’t miss the
stares it garnered.
    “What?”
    “People are looking at us.”
    “Good.”
    “I’m going to go back and help Frankie. It’ll