Camila raised an eyebrow and stared at her. Finally, she asked, “Did you tell him yet?”
Daisy sighed and said, “No. I was about to tell him, and Papi called about Mamá in the hospital. Like at that exact moment. So, no. Not yet.”
Camila cocked her head and said, “And that was three days ago. So, there’s a reason you haven’t said something in the last three days?”
“Being with him, it’s like a dream. It’s what I always wanted.” Daisy frowned. She knew exactly why. Maybe being honest with Camila would help her be more honest with herself. “I just know once I say something, this dream will end. I’m just clinging onto it as long as possible.”
Shaking her head, Camila said, “Daisy, it will only be worse…”
“I know. I know I know.” Unexpected tears sprang to her eyes. “I just have always wanted this. You know that.”
Her cousin leaned forward and said very softly, “It’s not right. If you really want this, you’ll do what’s right.”
Impatience had her snapping out. “Look, do you want the tickets or not?”
Camila pressed her lips together and said, “I will take them and bring Homer, but on the condition that you tell him by tomorrow.”
She set her jaw. “You say I need to do what’s right? I’ll tell him when it’s right for me.” She turned and started to walk out, then turned back. “Game starts at six. Come to my house at four, and we’ll eat first. Or don’t. Whatever.”
When she had her hand on the handle of the door, Camila called out, “I love you. I’m just worried about you.”
Daisy knew that, of course. She and Camila had a relationship like close sisters. She wouldn’t hurt her intentionally or try to steer her in the wrong direction because she did love her. However, Daisy felt like this thing with Ken had nothing to do with Camila, and she needed to keep out of it. She would not allow her cousin to pressure her into doing something she’d regret later. She already had enough regret to deal with for this lifetime.
Daisyset the platter of hot dogs on the table next to the buns. She’d chopped onions, diced pickles, and set out of a bowl of potato chips and a platter of sliced cantaloupe as well. Just as she finished examining her handiwork, the doorbell rang. She rushed to open it and grinned when she saw Ken on the other side of the door. “Just in time!”
She held the door wider, and he stepped into the house. When he put a hand on her waist and pulled her close, she readily lifted her face for a kiss.
For heartbeats that passed like hours, they kissed. Tension she hadn’t realized even existed simply evaporated from the small of her back and her shoulders. She wanted to keep kissing him, but he pulled back with a grin and a chuckle.Tell him. You have to tell him.She opened her eyes and said, “I made hotdogs. I thought we could eat before we go to the stadium. My cousin Camila is coming with her boyfriend.”
“I’m glad.” He wore a pair of blue shorts and an Atlanta Braves T-shirt and ball cap. He had turned the cap around backward. As they separated from the kiss, he flipped the cap back around forward. “My parents have had these tickets my whole life. When my brothers and I got older, we all thought about getting our own tickets, but it’s so rare for all of us to be free on the same game night, so we all just kinda share them.”
“I’m always ready for a Braves game.”
“You,” Ken reached out slowly and touched the collar of her shirt. “You look fantastic.”
She blushed and grinned. She’d selected a red skirt and a white Braves T-shirt. Copying Sami’s look from the Fourth of July party, she put her hair in pigtails and had used some face paint her mom had to put the red A logo on her left cheek.
She’d felt silly when she looked at herself in the mirror, but Ken’s compliment lit her up from the inside, and she was glad she’d gone to such an extreme. Especially when Camila and Homer arrived and her cousin asked her to paint her face as well.
Homer met Camila when he started going to her church. They both played instruments for the praise team. He stood tall and thin with shaggy brown hair and black-framed glasses.
He’d asked her out two Christmases ago, and the entire family waited with bated breath for the coming moment when he would surely ask her to marry him. Daisy and Camila had decided together that he probably wanted to wait for graduation before he popped the question. He had one semester of seminary to go.
Ken and Homer filled plates with hot dogs and fixings while Daisy painted the red A on Camila’s cheek. She wore a blue T-shirt and white shorts. “I’m going to do pigtails, too,” she exclaimed, then ran upstairs to the bathroom. Minutes later, she came back down, and Homer insisted on taking their picture. “You ladies look terrific.”
Excitement for this double date made it so that Daisy could barely eat. She managed a few bites of melon and half a hot dog before they had to leave. “Let’s just take my truck,” Ken said. “I have a parking pass.”
During the drive to the stadium, Daisy and Camila easily chatted, often bringing Homer into the conversation. As usual, Ken remained mostly quiet, but when he did speak, he interjected some quick wit and often had a smile on his face. Daisy knew he didn’t enjoy chitchat and rarely spoke unless he had something to say. His relaxed demeanor and easy smile made her less worried about drawing him into the conversation.
They settled into their seats, right behind home plate. “I like night games,” Ken said. “Never too hot, and the sun never gets in my eyes.”
The hum of excitement in the air was almost visible. The smile on Daisy’s face didn’t go away the entire night. They sat in the incredible seats and cheered, sang, booed, and completely embraced the spirit of the game. When the Braves won with a double play in the ninth inning, Daisy honestly felt like she’d just watched the best game she’d ever seen.
At the end of the night, they waited in their seats for the bulk of the crowd to dissipate. Homer moved, so he stood in the row below them, facing them. “Dude, any time you have extra tickets, I am your man.”
Ken grinned. “I’ll keep you in mind.” He put a hand on the back of Daisy’s neck and squeezed. She thought she might give him about an hour to stop that. It felt so good. “Glad you came tonight.”
“Me, too,” Daisy said. “I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a game more.”
