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Initially, Kit didn’t know what she was thinking when she thought it would be a good idea to dress as a Rockford Peach for Halloween. She felt like she was too old to wear an above-the-knee skirt (or a “half a dress,” as the movie put it) that passed for a baseball uniform in the 1940s and that it would look silly on her, as if she was just pretending to be a fierce, trailblazing player from the All-American Girls Baseball League.
However, once Randolph told her he’d go as the Peaches manager and he couldn’t wait to see how she looked in the costume (assuring her that she definitely still had the body to pull it off), she decided to let loose. It was Halloween, after all. It’s not as if she could dress like this at work any of the other 364 days in the year.
In the spirit of A League of Their Own , which they had just watched last week to help them get into their “characters,” she styled her hair and did her makeup as normal before putting on her baseball cap. She was never much one for an over-the-top look on Halloween anyway, preferring costumes where she could still showcase her natural beauty but still pretend she was from another universe. And she was happy Randolph had finally joined in on the fun, as he’d always resisted dressing up and going to a party until they started dating. He believed it was more fun for Sammie (and a kids’ holiday as a whole) and that he was too old for it. However, a year or two of helping Kit hand out candy to pediatric patients at Chastain, and then staying at her house during trick-or-treating, convinced him otherwise.
On her way downstairs, she checked her appearance in the mirror and smoothed out her dress. It did look good on her, and she started to feel sexy. She couldn’t wait to see what he thought, especially since she already saw him in his costume and told him it made him look more relaxed. He felt like he was in his natural element, dressing as a leader; just in a different form than he was in on a daily basis.
“OK, here I am,” she announced when she came back to the living room. “Now, what do you think, coach? Am I a batter in the starting lineup who can deliver the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth? Or would I be better as a pitcher who can strike out three consecutive batters to quickly end an inning? Maybe I have a good throwing arm and would be a good fielder? You tell me.”
Randolph laughed. “Well, I know I felt like I’d hit a home run when we got together. And marriage was a grand slam.”
“I know you’re not much of a baseball fan,” Kit said, laughing back. “Or a sports fan. I just wanted to have fun with the puns, and I’m glad you’re trying to do the same.”
He looked her up and down and smiled. “You do look fantastic. But out of all the couples costumes we talked about, what made you want to be a girls’ baseball player? No disrespect of course, since they were referred to as girls back then.”
“That is unfortunate,” she replied. “They were still very much ladies, not teenagers. I don’t know…it’s interesting because in the movie, the ball players were resistant to the uniforms at first. But in a way, it makes me feel empowered. Because thankfully, today, women can be beautiful and enjoy fashion and makeup but can also be surgeons or scientists or lawyers. And back in the 40s, they were given a unique opportunity to showcase their talents and get out of the kitchen.”
“And that’s why I love you,” he said. “Because you’re a hell of a surgeon and a savvy businesswoman as the CEO. And you look beautiful while juggling it all.”
“Even when I’m in scrubs with my surgical cap and a mask ready to go before scrubbing in?”
“How did you forget that I first started crushing on you while you were wearing scrubs?” Kit laughed as she recalled how awkward yet amusing it was when she first caught Randolph checking her out at work, and Mina and Jessica confirmed her suspicions.
“I wish I had something as inspiring and insightful to say about my costume,” he added. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as annoyed to have my job as Jimmy Dugan first was when he first showed up.”
“Yes, but over time you have turned into quite the softie. And you’re also a great leader, so it all checks.”
She picked up the glove she was using as a prop, as she decided it was easier than carrying a bat over her shoulder most of the night. She couldn’t wait to see what kind of impression they made on the guests at Conrad and Nic’s party. (Now that Mina had moved away, it was their first year hosting the Chastain Halloween party, although it would be a more toned-down version because Gigi was going to be in attendance for her first Halloween.)
“How about I take you out to the ballgame?” Randolph said, taking her free hand.
“Sounds like a good date to me. Maybe there will even be peanuts and cracker jack.”