"The Ole Ball Game"chap 3

Chapter 3

The summer breeze tickled the wind chime Jazzi had set on her porch, the tingling only serving to make her
more nervous. Keely had called early this morning to say she needed to tell her something important. Since
seven o'clock, Jazzelle had been sitting on her front porch staring into the expanse before her house and wondering
just what that important thing could be. The trees swayed in the breeze, the soft buzz of bumble bees whizzed by her head, yet
her focus was still one of her best friends. Finally, Keely's car pulled into the drive way. With a sigh of relief
Jazzi watched her climb from the driver's side and nearly skip to the porch.

"I couldn't wait to get here and tell you. Blaze doesn't even know yet, but I had to tell someone!" Keely hugged Jazzi as she took the
seat beside her on the porch.

"I can't wait either. What is it, Keely?" she asked, fully knowing she was pushing Keely to tell her. She had a right though,
calling and waking her up at seven in the morning only to make her wait all afternoon to find out.

Keely bit her lip then shrieked, "I'm pregnant, Jazzi."

"Pregnant?" Jazzi shrieked with her friend before pulling her into a hug. "Oh that's exciting! So exciting. You HAVE GOT to tell Blaze right away."

"I know, I know, but I wanted to wait until he got home from work and tell him. Then I couldn't wait any longer, so I had to come and tell you." Keely
smiled wide and tried to sit still in her seat.

"Well, this is simply going to be the most spoiled child in the history of spoiled children. First in our group to have a baby!" Jazzi exclaimed,
secretly envious of her friend. She was the one, after all, who was the eldest of the women in their group. Yet, everyone else seemed to pass
her by like she was standing still. What was she doing about it? Nothing. That's right, nothing.

"I know, I know. Wait until everyone else finds out! I can't wait." Keely exclaimed, just as she was about to open her mouth to say more, her cell
phone began to ring in her purse. "One sec., Jazzi."

Jazzelle nodded.

Keely smiled as she answered, "Oh yeah, hi baby. Yeah I'll be right there." After she'd finished talking, she hung up her cell phone and dropped
it back into her purse. "Blaze has a lunch break, so I'm going to go tell him. I cracked and left a message on his cell phone." her friend smiled
sheepishly and shrugged.

"Well go! Go and tell the man already." she smiled at her friend and hugged her again. "I'll start working on a baby shower. It might take me nine months
to get it to be good enough."

Keely chuckled, "Yeah, right. I'll see you later. Give me a call and let me know how it goes with Daemyn. Before long, I'll be planning a baby shower
for you all."

"Oh shush." she called after Keely.

Long after Keely had gone, Jazzi sat on the porch staring into the distance. Her heart pounded with the loneliness she felt, it coursed through her blood stream
alerting every unhappy pore of her body. Why was it that every one else found it so easy to fall into love, yet she sat here dragging her feet? The alarm on
her watch alerted her it was time to get ready for her date with Daemyn, her heart gave a leap. Something about this man was different. The question was,
was it time to stop dragging her feet? Only time would tell.

--

Daemyn looked down at his watch and then back at the horizon again, it was nearly ten minutes past the time Jazzi had set for them to meet. Was she coming?
Sighing, he sat back and propped himself up on his elbows, keeping an eye on the happenings of the park. A family passed him, two little girls fighting over
a big beach ball ran past, then two teenagers who were aimlessly wandering the park. Yet, still no sign of Jazzelle. He should have known. Lidia and Charity
told him it might be this way, but he had hoped that she'd felt the connection to him that he had to her. Closing his eyes, he absorbed the sun's rays, enjoying the
warmth on his face, the breeze at his back. Then he felt it. The electrical current that zapped him everytime he stared into Jazzelle's eyes. The one that now traveled from his toes all the way to the top of his head and back down again.

"I've had a few guys stand me up, but never one fall asleep on me." the soft voice compelled him to open his eyes and stare up at her.

"I wasn't sleeping, I was merely wondering if you'd ever show up." he winked at her.

"Of course, I couldn't stand a good looking man up. Especially with my sisters on my hind parts about it." she smiled and sat down beside him.

Daemyn found himself chuckling at her and leaning closer, intrigued by the glimmer in her eye and the smile on her face. "Sounds like you've
had an interesting day."

Jazzelle nodded slowly, "They wouldn't leave me alone for a minute, 'Are you getting ready?' 'Are you sure you'll go?' I was about to cancel
just to get at them."

Laughing again, he looked toward the picnic basket that sat beside her, "So are you going to share what's in the basket or are you going
to leave me here in suspense?"

She shook her head, "Suspense."

He feigned being hurt and opened his mouth wide, "I'm shocked!"

They were laughing together now, and she opened the picnic basket. "I suppose I could share, everything but the dessert. I automatically claim
anything chocolate."

"I've heard you're something of a chocoholic." he winked again.

Jazzi nodded, "That I am, kind sir, that I am."

--

Lidia handed the binoculars to Altan, "See I told you their adorable together." she hissed.

"I think you are adorable..adorably insane, but adorable. We're hiding here in the bushes Lidia. The bushes! This is not fun, nor cute. Why? Why
in the name of the Lord and all things that are holy are we spying on your friend and her new date in the bushes?" he tossed the binoculars aside.

"Because she did it to all of us. I don't know. It's just fun, that's all. And since Charity is on her honeymoon, you're my new accomplis." she informed him, poking
him in the chest. "You are all I've got right now."

"Oh gee, that was the most romantic thing I've heard ever. Although, you look especially sexy in this light if I do say, and with leaves and twigs in your hair. I
can barely keep my hands off of you." he replied with a cocky smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Really now? I thought you'd come up with a new Ludia scheme. Say you like Ludia more because she doesn't crouch in bushes or have friends." she found herself
nearly cackling as he tugged her closer to himself.

"Your friend is going to notice laughing in the bushes."

She shrugged, "So what? C'mon we'll get out of the bushes if it means that much to you." With one hand she grabbed the binoculars, with the other she tugged his
hand.

"Oh no, now you've got me in these bushes..uh uh. I'm not getting out until I get a kiss." he tugged her back into the bushes, pressing his lips against her's.

Just as things were getting good, truly good, the branch holding their combined weight snapped, leaving them both rolling down a hill. The light blinded Lidia, until
she came face to face with Jazzi.

"Um hi." she ground out, tugging herself out of Altan's grip.

Jazzi smiled and reached for a twig that apparently stuck out of Lidia's hair, "Having fun at the park, Lidia?"

"I'd say so." piped up Daemyn from beside Jazzi as he watched Lidia and Altan get up from the ground.

"We were having a terrific time in the bushes until Ludia got jealous and snapped that there twig from under us." Altan feigned an accent as he chuckled and
removed more debris from Lidia's hair.

Lidia stomped on his foot, "Shut up. We are having a terrific time..what about you?" she raised an eyebrow and watched as Jazzi and Daemyn burst into laughter.
"I can see we're disturbing you, so you just call me when you're through here, Jazzi." Huffing, she grabbed Altan's hand and tugged him away from the picnic.

"I love it when you talk rough to me." he grinned and pulled her toward him again.

"Oh shut up, we're going home."