“Just one more. I’m waiting for Coach to sit in on this one with you.”
My entire chest tightens. It’s one thing to do these interviews with family. Even with Colby. But to have Coach Shuster slide in feels amplified. If he’s slipping into the room, the outlet is likely someone a little bigger.
“He’s outside. One second,” Campbell says, skidding the metal legs of her folding chair against the tile floor as she zips to the door of the small conference room she’s turned into a sound studio.
“Come on in, Coach,” she says, propping open the door. Both Coach Shuster and Coach Bastion step inside, and my brother leans into me, tugging on my sleeve. He cups his mouth.
“You’re getting called up,” he says.
I don’t have a moment to react, Coach pulling a chair next to me in the very next breath. My eyes widen on my brother, and he shoots me a brief smile that only touches half of his face. He’s interested in hisownpath back to Texas. God forbid he be excited for me.
“Coach,” I say, shaking his hand. I reach across the table to shake Coach Bastion’s next. They get comfortable in their seats as Campbell adjusts the pair of cellphones she’s had set up along with ring lights. She rotates the laptop we’ve been talking to reporters on to us, and Chris Olson, the biggest reporter in sports news, stares back.
“Coach Shuster. Thanks for making time for us tonight. Congrats on the win against Little Rock,” Chris says.
Coach picks up the small mic from the table and chuckles.
“Well, when the organization gives me two Vargas boys in my lineup, the deck is definitely stacked in our favor,” he says with a wink. His answers are always so smooth. I guess years of doing this has made him comfortable.
“Ha ha, yeah. Fair point,” Chris says. “Jayden, what was it like playing with your brother tonight. Correct me if I’m wrong,but isn’t this the first time the two of you have been on a roster together . . . ever?” he continues.
I take the mic from Coach.
“You’re right, Chris. I’m five years younger than Adriel, and I missed playing high school ball with him by one grade.”
Funny, this fact hadn’t hit me until Chris brought it up. I lean forward and smile at my brother, and he relaxes in his seat and smiles back. Chip on his shoulder and all, he can still see the power in a small moment like this.
“Not a bad night for the two of you. You combined for six hits and four runs. And your homer in the fifth basically put this game away for you all,” Chris says.
I struggle hearing praise, and my cheeks burn. I’d rather get tweaks on my stance, a critique for my fielding. Anything.
“Yeah, I don’t know that the game is ever totally put away. There are nine innings, and anything can happen in the bottom of the ninth,” I say.
Everyone in the room, including Chris on the monitor, laughs.
“That must be the attitude you were talking about earlier, when we chatted by phone, Coach.”
My eyes blink to my Coach as he takes the mic from me, and when our gazes meet, I catch the slight tell that gives it away. My brother was right. I’m fucking getting called up.
I sit on my hands to keep my nerves at bay.
“It sure is, Chris. And when the big guys call the kid up from Texas, his attitude is going to be as much a part of the reason as the way he swings the bat.”
My breath halts.When?
Coach twists in his chair and looks toward my brother.
“Just hurts that we’ll be losing his brother so fast,” Coach continues. A flicker of joy touches my brother’s eyes, and I sinkinto an abyss of jealousy while forcing the extra-wide smile to remain branded on my face.
Adriel’s head tilts.
“Yeah, it was hard watching Danube go down in the game in Arlington tonight. Adriel, do you feel ready? I know you were working through some struggles. I’m sure you would have liked more time.”
My entire world collapses as I watch my brother morph intothe man.This is what his time in the majors—time well above mine—has trained him for. With nothing more than a little eye contact from Coach as a warning, Adriel picks up where the interviewer left off and runs with the story.
He had no idea he was getting pulled back up so soon. I saw the look in his eyes when he thought they came in here for me. His brotherly pride had a limit. But now . . . now he’s back on top. Just like that. One game in Little Rock and an injury in Arlington is all it took.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s all part of the game, Chris. And I try to be ready for whatever the universe has in store for me, you know? And sure, my confidence was taking a bit of a hit. I might have gotten distracted by the wrong things. But when it comes to the team, this game? I’m always one hundred percent, and I’ll be ready when I roll back to Texas in the morning. They’ll get the best from me. Better than I left.”
