After Part 21
Candle and Bertie sat on the bench in Rust park watching the boy throw the ball. Over and over he rolled his arm back reaching for some internal strength and over and over he threw it as fast as he could into the brick wall. If he noticed them he did not acknowledge, content in his repetition and practice.
“What do you think he is trying to accomplish?” Bertie asked Candle whose eyes never left the young man.
“I think he is trying to get better.” Candle’s eyes were intent on the kid, watching the motion with wonder, watching as his arms moved in motion with precise dedication.
“How long we going to sit here Candle?” Bertie had seen enough, but she knew her sister was slightly infactuated with the ball boy.
“Long enough” Candle looked to her sister. “I admit he has my attention,”
“The same way Robbie did last year?” Bertie teased punching her sisters arm.
Candle chuckled at that. Oh Robbie. He was three hovels down from them. And yes for a summer Candle made sure she would happen to be outside when his shift came home. A passing hello, sometimes a conversation about the weather. It was a nice break from daily life, and a dream. That all ended when Robbie got promoted to a better place to live. She didn’t get to say goodbye as the company van came and grabbed all his belongings. She wasn’t exactly heartbroken then as it was never love or some other nonsense, but her feelings still got hurt.
“No. Robbie had better hair.”
Bertie smiled at her sister, grabbed her hand as they had done many times in their life together. Two sisters living, sometimes with fantasies of boys their age.
“Come on Candle, lets go home. This kid will throw for hours more.”
Candle smiled at that, nodded, and squeezed her sisters hand.
“Just a few more pitches.”