Lola looked like she’d just won the lottery and inquired, “We can eat chocolate foralmuerzo?”
Camdyn smiled widely and then told Lola conspiratorially, “Wecould…but I think Javi will object. It’s not good for athletes to eat that many sweets. However, we can definitely have it for dessert.”
They walked next door and found Juana making a large Spanish omelette for their breakfast and Javi adding water to the base of a moka pot.
“We’ll need to go to a store,” announced Camdyn.
“We could go to my store. I would love to show you and Lola where I work, and I get a discount on purchases,” replied Juana knowingly.
“You get a discount because you work there?” asked Lola, sounding stunned.
“I do, and they pay me very well. I also have a pension and retirement plans, and they allow me to buy stock in the company. It’s why I’m staying here and not moving to Arizona,” stated Juana while looking at Javi.
His mother staying in Florida had been a point of contention between Javi and Juana. When they’d realized that Javi had a better chance of securing Lola’s guardianship than his mother, he’d decided to change their course without a second thought. He’d strongly believed that Juana would move to Arizona to help care for Lola, but his mother was still not willing to move, and Lola could not stay in Florida without Javi.
Camdyn understood Javi’s mother’s decision. It wasn’t because Juana did not love or want to be with Javi and Lola. It was because her job gave her security. The company she worked for had supported her with bereavement benefits when she’d unexpectedly lost her husband, and they’d assisted her with relocating to one of their other stores when Javi had been drafted for minor league ball. They had secured Juana’s loyalty when they’d hired her as a young woman who’d grown up in poverty, new to Miami, and, at that time, had spoken little English. They’d taken a chance on her, and in return, they’d secured her devotion. Camdyn hoped that Javi could understand his mother better now that he’d been to Cuba and seen the quality of life there firsthand. For someone to be raised there without any security, taking a chance on something as fickle and ever-changing as an MLB roster was a big risk.
“Maybe I can get a job like that,” said Lola.
Javi turned to her. “Not yet,chiquita. You will have to focus on school. I was not allowed to work during the school year, and neither will you. Your studies will come first.”
“But I can help make money to pay for things,” she protested.
“It may sound ridiculous to you, but I assure you that I’m paid extremely well to play professional baseball. I can handle all your expenses. You don’t have to worry about paying me back for anything.”
“But how can I ever possibly thank you for all that you are doing for me?” Lola asked with tears forming in her eyes.
Javi rounded the cabinet and pulled Lola in for a hug while rubbing her back. “Just accept what I’m giving you. There are no conditions other than you doing well in school and growing up to be an amazing person. We love you, Lola.”
They’d then all sat down to the delicious breakfast that Juana had made. After that, they’d gone to the grocery store, bought a variety of items, then come back to the house to rest and watch television until it was time for the Pensacola minor league game that evening.
The stadium in Pensacola was probably the nicest minor league stadium Camdyn had ever been to, though she hadn’t been to nearly as many of those as she had major league parks. And Javi had gone all out for Lola’s first game. He’d gotten them tickets on the upper club level, overlooking the stadium and Pensacola Bay. The tickets even included a buffet of ballpark fare. Unlimited hot dogs, snacks, and sodas while the salty breeze blew in off the water made for a memorable experience that Camdyn was sure Lola would judge all future games by. Javi had also talked to the team’s store and managedto get Camdyn and Lola jerseys with Javi’s name and number on the back, replicas from when he’d played for the team. Of course, he and Juana had already had theirs, and everyone matching was just another special touch for the night.
About midway through the game, Javi had disappeared. Camdyn supposed he’d gone off through the bowels of the stadium to visit, but she wasn’t upset that he’d left her. She and Juana were having fun trying to explain all the aspects of the game to Lola. Baseball was said to be the most popular sport in Cuba, but Lola knew very little; however, she was eager to learn everything she could about it.
“If the last two foul balls were strikes, why wasn’t the third foul a strike? Shouldn’t he be out?” asked Lola.
“It does seem odd, but the rule was created to prompt more action and keep the ball in play,” replied Juana.
Lola looked at Camdyn as if checking to make sure her aunt was telling her the truth, and Camdyn nodded in agreement to reassure her.
“Doesn’t seem fair,” Lola mused.
“What’s not fair?” asked her cousin as he reappeared behind them with three mini helmets of ice cream balanced in his hands.
“You got us ice cream!” exclaimed Lola, completely forgetting about the third foul ball.
“Not justanyice cream. This is pineapple-flavored soft-serve in a mini batting helmet,” he retorted seriously.
“Pineapple? Like Dole Whip?” asked Camdyn.
“Yes, it’s delicious,” said Juana as she took a helmet from Javi.
He handed one to Lola and the last to Camdyn before sliding into the seat next to her.
“You didn’t want any?” she asked.
“I’ll just have a few bites of yours. I couldn’t juggle another one, but I wanted you to have the helmet,” he replied.
