Sean gave us the grand tour. Ari got to sit in the owner’s private box. She got to see the home-and visiting-team locker rooms, and she squealed when she touched Ronald Acu?a’s locker. She looked up in amazement at the rows and rows of pennants the Braves had won. I laughed as she pulled out her cell phone and took a selfie with a 1995 World Series trophy encased in glass.
“May I?” Sean asked Ari for her phone, motioning me to join her for a few candid shots near the trophy, and then near the Hank Aaron statue. After posing for several shots, I watched as Ari stood in front of the bronze statue of Hank Aaron and stared in amazement.
“It’s really cool when the waterfalls are running,” whispered Sean, careful not to disrupt Ari’s admiration.
“Man, you all did an amazing job here. I never really admired the work before.”
Sean turned to me and smiled. “Thanks. And you’re doing an amazing job pretending that you’re not into this girl. ‘Colleague’ my left nut! Dude, whatever!”
I shushed him as Ari came closer to where we were standing.
“Gosh, if my daddy was here, he would love this!” Ari said, running her fingers across the large 755. She pivoted her head, trying to prevent me from seeing her wipe a tear from her eye. I walked over to Ari and placed my hand on top of hers. As she turned to face me, I tucked the lone curl that was on her forehead neatly back under her hood.
Ari’s mouth parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something. I focused on the fullness of her bottom lip, still berry stained from her lip gloss. Cupping my hand against her waist, I pulled her closer and felt her softness, even under her bubble coat. I leaned in, anticipating the feel of her lips.
Just then, I heard a cough. I had forgotten that Sean was standing there.
“Uh. Hey, guys. We got to make this quick, but I haven’t shown you the pièce de résistance!” he said.
I leaned away from Ari and scratched my head in embarrassment. Ari’s face was flushed with warmth. We looked like two caught teenagers as we followed Sean down a long corridor. There weren’t many lights on this part of the stadium. It was as if we were walking into the abyss. As we approached a nondescript door, Sean stopped us.
“You guys, this is my little secret passageway. You do the honors, Ari. Go on, open it,” he said, coaxingly.
Ari looked at me, hesitating to move an inch further. I shrugged. I did not know where this secret door led, but I put my hand on the small of her back, reassuring her I’d be there for her. I’d be there for her. Always.
Ari eventually pushed the door open and audibly gasped. I followed behind and instantly understood Ari’s amazement. We were standing in the middle of center field, above the rocks of the roman waterfall. Ari looked around as the stadium lights came on one panel at a time. It was blinding. Ari twirled around and laughed with infectious deliciousness. In her bubble coat, she looked like a little kid excitedly experiencing a fresh winter snowfall for the first time in the south. I looked over at Sean, who winked at me and mouthed a “Dude, you’re in there” and gave me a thumbs-up for good measure.
“I can’t believe I’m standing in center field. This is crazy. How many people can say they have stood here!” Ari said in amazement.
“Yeah, this is great. Thanks, Sean,” I said, giving him a hearty handshake and a pat on the back.
“You’re my dude. No problem, anything for you and your girlfriend,” Sean said. I looked at him wide-eyed. Even though it was cold as a brick outside, I could feel heat rising in my chest.
“What?” he asked, playfully. “Not girlfriend? Fiancée, then? Wife? Did you elope?” He gasped. “Eloise is going to kill you!”
Now he was being a deliberate ass.
Ari turned to him, laughing. “I’m not his girlfriend or wife. He’s telling the truth, Sean. We’re just friends.” I couldn’t help but feel a bit of a sting in how she said friends. We could be more. So much more if she’d allow it. Lord knows I wanted it.
“Uh-huh.” Sean, whose nose was turning as red as his hair, laughed. “Well, Porter, this was one hell of a nice thing you did for your…friend. But my balls are probably going to freeze off out here! Temps are dropping. Come on, you guys, we better get out of here before I get fired.”
Ari and I laughed. As I turned to enter the little hidden door, Ari grabbed my hand. “You think you’d ever want to come and see a game with me…you know… When it isn’t so cold?” she asked.