"Take Me Out to the Ball Game.."

Chapter 3

The darkness still hovered around Charity's small shop, her dream come to life. Her own salon, the large windows were half frosted to give the shop a pretty appearance while allowing for privacy. The words "Yankee Style" were scrawled on the side in flowing blue writing. She smiled to herself as she pushed the key into the lock and walked inside, with the touch of a button track lighting flashed on all around the open space. The cherry wood floors gleamed beneath her feet, almost twinkling with excitement for a new day of work, like she was most days. Shrugging out of her sweater, she went to work cleaning for a bit before the rest of the staff came in.

Another smile tugged at her lips as she ran a damp cloth down the wall closest to her. Some of her friends had come in and air brushed the walls, so every wall looked like it had been graffitied. The bell rang above the door, and she spun to see who it was even though she knew already. "Morning, Mindy." she called, before abandoning the cloth into the laundry.

"Hey Chari, what's up?" Mindy smiled her usual greeting, and went to work mopping up the floor.

"Nothing, nothing at all." she replied, flipping through the appointment book casually as she carried on a conversation with one of her trusted employees.

Before long, the shop was flowing with customers, young and old alike. She smiled as one of her oldest and dearest clients walked through the door. Julie Thomas was a seventy year old woman with a bright smile and an equally bright personality. She seemed to buzz with energy, and today she brought along two tiny children. "Good morning!" she called with her usual pep.

"Morning, Julie, what can we do for you today?" she asked, standing behind the counter.

"Well, let's see, I watch these two youngsters here, and it's come to my attention that they need hair cuts. Their uncle has given me permission to bring em' in, and so that's just what I'm here for." she smiled down at the children.

The little boy simply nodded and popped a thumb in his mouth, warily gazing around the place, his eyes landing on Charity and holding her's.

The little girl seemed more Julie's style, she couldn't stand still. The hand Julie had firmly around hers was being used as a helpful guide to twirling like a ballerina.

"Well hello there." said Charity, crouching down to child level at the side of the desk.

"Hi." said the shy, wary little boy.

The little girl smiled, yet she said nothing only reguarded Charity with sparkling eyes before looking up at her babysitter. "What is her name?" she signed with chubby little hands.

Charity felt a tug in her heart for the little girl, without hesitating, she reached out a hand and touched the little girls shoulder, "I'm Charity." she signed slowly.

The girl's eyes brightened even more, "You sign?"

Charity nodded at the little bundle of energy.

"I'm Ava." she signed back.

A fresh sense of purpose grasped her heart, and she stood to her feet, "Well let's get moving then, shall we?" she said it aloud and signed it for Ava's benefit.

"This is Cole," explained Julie, for the shy boy who now scuffed the floor with a tiny sneaker.

"Hiya Cole." she said, lifting him into the chair.

His big brown eyes were solemn, and his mouth showed not a hint of a smile. This was one serious little boy, and he could be no older than five, she assumed.

"How about a hair cut, then a lollipop?" she asked, hoping to garner some sort of reaction from the boy.

"No lollipop." he said gruffly, his little arms folding before him.

"Okay, no lollipop." she agreed, and went on cutting.

Before long both children were finished, Julie paid Holly, the desk clerk and took off with a wave yelling Thank you behind them. The door closed behind the three, and Charity watched as they walked toward Julie's car. Something about those children was familiar, however she had no clue what it was. Shrugging it off, she went back to work, and to counting down the hours until the game.

--

Alex looked down at the freshly clean faces of his nephew and niece, Cole blinked up at him. "What?" he asked, glancing into the expectant faces.

"We want to come too." pleaded Ava, with both hands and a pout to back it up.

"No, I will not lug the two of you to Yankee Stadium." he said with firmness looking toward Miss Julie for help.

She clucked her tongue, "Don't bring me into this, young man."

He rolled his eyes involuntarily and looked back at the expectant faces, Ava's chocolate brown eyes sparkled with ready-to-cry tears. Cole's eyes seemed hollow still, and that nearly made him shudder. The boy was fearful of people in general, even more fearful of attachment. He didn't give hugs, nor did he smile, or say things Ava did all of the time. Like "I love you." Although, Alex himself didn't say it, so he couldn't really fault the kid for it. Could he? "Okay, as long as you promise to be on your best behavior." he sighed.

Ava pumped a fist in the air, while bringing her other hand to her chin to sign 'thank you.'

Cole simply nodded his head, and turned to grab his baseball glove.

Miss Julie caught his eye over the children's heads and smiled approvingly. He sighed, he could play major league baseball and not be phased. Or stand down a sniper at ten feet, but stand up to his niece and nephew. Never. That said something for his character, right? Some tough guy. He groaned, and grabbed his cap shoving it down on his head. Better get ready for the ride of his life.

The sun was slowly sliding down when the game started, Cole sat wide-eyed at his right, and Ava bounced happily in his lap. Alex could hear the twittering of the same group of people behind him, he found it odd five girls and one guy seeing games together? He perused them out of the corner of his eye, not a normal combination either. It seemed someone had grabbed a few people from here or there and plopped them down into seats beside each other in the Bronx. Yet, they seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Just as he was turning his gaze back to the field, Ava reached up and tapped him.

"What is it?" he signed, hoping she didn't need to use the facilities quite so soon.

She pointed a chubby finger at the girl in the middle of the group, laughing it up with her friends.

"Don't point, Ava Grace." he cautioned, pulling her finger down.

Cole straightened in his seat, locking stern eyes on Alex. "She sees our hair-cutter." he explained in tight words, that sounded more suited for a forty year old accountant than a four year old.

He looked at the woman Ava had been pointing too, she was the one destined to take a baseball in the face at the last game he'd seen. Shrugging off the coincidence, he faced forward. "That's very nice that your hair-cutter is a yankee fan." he put in, hoping it would ease the children.

Cole shrugged, "Real nice."

Ava shrugged imitating her brother, "Nice" she signed.

He cast another glance over his shoulder, funny that's just what he was thinking.