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On their well-deserved day off, Evan Phillips, Tony Gonsolin, and Alex Vesia, three talented pitchers for the Los Angeles Dodgers, decided to make the most of their free time together by going out to eat at one of their all-time favorite places—King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant in Torrance. The place was renowned for its delightful Hawaiian-inspired dishes and warm, friendly ambiance.
The three of them entered the restaurant together, already anticipating having a nice, relaxing time. They'd left all their cares behind on the baseball field, and were eager to enjoy some delicious food, as well as each other's company. The lighthearted banter and amusing stories always seemed to flow so easily when it was just them, the three friends, together.
Little did they know that their gathering was about to include an unexpected addition.
Before they'd even reached the front of the line to the hostess station, a fourth player from the Los Angeles Dodgers team, another pitcher named Michael Grove, just happened to enter the same restaurant. He spotted them, and called out their names.
"What a coincidence that we would all show up here at the same time!" Michael exclaimed, approaching the trio with a wide grin as they slowly turned in the direction of his voice.
Alex scowled. "Michael…seriously?" he began, but Evan elbowed him gently in the ribs.
"Hey, Michael," Evan said, trying to decide how best to handle the situation. "That is a weird coincidence. Well…I see no reason…I mean…you're more than welcome to join us at our table."
"Really?" Michael said, his face lighting up with joy. "That would be great!"
Michael turned and glanced at the dessert display case that Tony was presently perusing, and Alex took the opportunity to lock eyes with Evan and mouth the words What the fuck? with a fiery expression.
"Relax," Evan said under his breath to Alex. "It's not the end of the world."
Alex rolled his eyes emphatically, but said nothing further about the matter.
The hostess greeted the four men and showed them to their table. They sat in silence while surveying the offerings on the menu…all except Michael, who had a comment or a question about every other thing. Judging by the annoyed look on his face, Evan could tell Alex was about to make some exasperated, passive-aggressive comment, so Evan mitigated the situation by making a recommendation.
"Try the Lava Bulgogi. It's really good. I think you'll like it."
"Really?" Michael said doubtfully. "It's not too spicy?"
"No, not really. And the noodles are super thick. I enjoyed it when I had it last time."
"Hmm…okay. I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Evan."
"No problem," Evan said, smiling amiably at him. He glanced over at Alex, who'd been silently scrolling on his phone since they'd sat down. He glanced up at Evan menacingly, but then his expression softened when he realized his friend was just trying to be diplomatic and make the best of an awkward situation. They'd been planning on a gathering of three friends, not four, and Michael didn't know the others as well as they knew each other, but he supposed that was no reason to consider the evening completely ruined.
And Tony? Tony was easygoing about everything.
Alex put his phone away and decided to at least make a little effort at presenting a pleasant demeanor—at least half as pleasant as Evan's, anyway—so as not to spoil the positive atmosphere. Not that Michael seemed to know the difference, one way or the other; he was oblivious.
"You know what you're getting, Alex?" Michael asked.
"Yeah," Alex said, finally breaking his silence. "My usual. The Mix Plate."
"Wow! Nice."
The server took their orders, and gradually, the fun, lighthearted style of conversation they were usually so good at having—the easy back and forth—began to manifest, despite there being an extra person there whose presence wasn't originally planned. Michael couldn't quite keep up as well as the other three, not being accustomed to the specific style of conversational shorthand, esoteric references, and inside jokes that the three friends had developed with one another over time, but a helpful comment or clarification from Evan or Tony now and then was usually enough to bring him up to speed. Soon enough, they didn't notice anything unusual about having him there.
They laughed together while enjoying their food and drink, and after the plates were cleared away, Michael asked, "Anyone thinking of dessert?"
"Obviously!" Tony said. "I've been thinking about it since before we even got here."
"Oh yeah? You know what you're getting, then?"
"Definitely. Come on," Tony said, getting up from the table. "I'll show you."
Michael followed him to the front of the restaurant where all the desserts and bakery items were displayed, leaving Evan and Alex momentarily alone. Once they were out of earshot, Alex finally gave voice to the thoughts Evan knew he'd been thinking since Michael first showed up.
"Can you believe him?" Alex vented, his lingering annoyance plainly evident. "Deliberately showing up here at the same time as us and then acting like it was just a coincidence? He obviously knew we were coming here and decided he'd horn in."
Evan tried to understand his friend's perspective, but also see it from Michael's point of view as well, and responded gently, "We're all Dodgers pitchers...we have that in common. He probably sees the way you and Tony and I are friends with each other, and wants to try to be friends with us too. I get it. But I agree…he should have gone about it differently."
As Tony and Michael returned to the table, they sported big smiles, clearly excited about the dessert options. Michael happily declared, "They have a chocolate banana pie that looks so good! That's what I'm getting."
"Same!" Tony chimed in.
Evan noticed a subtle shift in Alex's demeanor now that he'd vented his frustration, saying what he'd needed to say, and also Evan could see how Michael's infectious enthusiasm was beginning to soften Alex's initial resentment.
Delectable desserts were ordered and delivered all around, which the group enjoyed with relish, their laughter and camaraderie filling the air.
"Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys," Michael said once the last bites had been eaten, the simple sincerity of the statement plainly evident in his voice. "This has been great."
Alex, now more at ease, replied, "Yeah, we'll have to do it again sometime."
"Only next time, on purpose," Evan added, giving Michael a playful wink that drew a smile from him. Tony smiled as well, and despite himself, Alex joined in with smile number four.