“Are you ready to start showing?” the realtor asked.
“We will be.”
They discussed the price, the market, and Sarah and Boone’s expectations. Sarah didn’t need to talk to Boone. She was accustomed to handling real estate decisions and managing their moves. “Price aggressively,” she said. “School is over just three weeks from now, and once the kids are out, I’ll want to get us out of here to join Boone on the West Coast.”
* * *
Sarah texted Boone after hanging up with the agent. House will be in the system by closing today. Open house scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. How are things going for you?
He didn’t answer. She kept checking her phone, trying not to be frustrated. Here she was, trying to handle stuff here. The least he could do was check in.
Then she looked up the A’s schedule, saw that Oakland was down in Southern California to play the Angels, and drew a deep breath, understanding.
It was only seven thirty there. Boone was still in bed, sleeping.
Sarah studied the schedule, becoming familiar with it. Boone was in California today and tomorrow, then had two games in Texas, before returning to Oakland late Thursday night for the weekend’s Bay Bridge series against the Giants, so called because the two baseball teams traveled across the Oakland Bay Bridge to play each other. And while the series was competitive, drew big crowds, and got lots of media attention, it was a friendly rivalry, unlike the Yankees and Red Sox, which tended to be more intense and sometimes downright hostile.
Sarah had grown up attending the Bay Bridge series with her dad and brother. She’d played sports her entire life, loved watching sports, had dated athletes in high school, but she hadn’t ever imagined marrying one.
Hadn’t wanted to marry one.
And then along came Boone and nothing had ever been the same.
* * *
Sarah was deep in the middle of cleaning and decluttering the kids’ rooms when Alyssa came over.
“They’ve just put a For Sale sign up outside your house,” Alyssa said, stepping around the cardboard boxes Sarah had dragged from the garage. “It’s true, then? You’re leaving.”
“The Rays let Boone go.”
“I’m shocked. And sad.”
“It’s caught me off guard,” Sarah admitted, crouching next to a box to tape the top closed. “I had no idea it would come to this.”
Alyssa watched her start filling another box. “Jeff said Boone wanted out.”
Sarah dropped the armful of stuffed animals into the box and glanced up at Alyssa, wondering what else she might have heard from Jeff. “Boone wasn’t happy.”
“I know. And the coaches are wrong. They should have been playing him more. He’s having a great year.”
Sarah smiled gratefully. That was a nice thing to say, but then, Alyssa had always been really loyal. “I’m going to miss you.”
“When do you leave?”
“Not for a couple of weeks. Going to wait until school’s out.”
“What about Boone? Will he stay with your family, or . . . ?”
“The A’s have booked him a suite at one of those corporate hotels that have kitchens and living rooms. He’ll be there until we arrive and I can get us a rental house someplace.”
“Not going to buy?”
“No. I doubt we’ll be in Oakland long. We’ll probably finish the season there and then . . . who knows? It’s anybody’s guess.” Sarah attempted to tear off a strip of tape but dropped the roll and it wobbled over to Alyssa. “I’m kind of hoping he’s going to retire, but it’ll be a huge adjustment for him. He’s always played ball. He’s always had the game to focus on.”
Alyssa picked up the tape and handed it back. “I hate the off-season for that reason. Jeff’s a bear when he’s not playing. Grouchy, grumpy, and lazy. I like him playing ball. Gets him out of the house. Keeps him busy.”
“There is that.” Sarah stacked the second box on top of the first. She brushed off her hands, glanced into Ella’s closet, which was now nearly empty. “Wow. Can’t believe this is happening. I had no idea when I headed to San Francisco a few days ago that we’d soon be moving there.”
“You have to be happy that you’re moving home.”
“I think so.” Sarah caught sight of Alyssa’s puzzled expression. “Things are kind of crazy there right now. Lots of drama.”
“Everybody’s still grieving. They will for a while.”
“I know. And I am looking forward to seeing more of my dad. It’ll be good for my kids, too. They love their grandpa.”
Alyssa’s eyes watered. “I’m happy for you, but sad for me. I’m really going to miss you.”