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Stretched out and worn. Beyond faded, only holding a fraction of the rich navy coloring each thread used to occupy. The once bold white letters had cracked with time, and a few tears were now present along the hem. This was Mike’s sweater. Mike’s favorite sweater. The one that had been in the Bigs longer than half of the team...
Blip had become somewhat immune to the inside jokes, food sharing, and finding Mike and Ginny in less than “teammate friendly” positions when they were both passed out on the bus or plane. He had dismissed Mike’s need to coddle Ginny, mostly because he knew Mike was still working out his self inflicted guilt for Ginny’s injury. He had avoided the rumor mill at all costs especially when it pertained to Mike and Ginny; but it never let up. Not even two nights ago, Blip recalled a conversation with Sonny and Voorhies after practice.
“I heard Mike yelled at the ball boy for trying to snapchat Baker’s ass,” Sonny said with a chuckle.
“Good grief,” Blip said rolling his eyes.
“The old man is going to have a heart attack if he flips out on every guy that looks at Baker’s ass,” Sonny said shaking his head.
“Well you know how they are..” Voorhies added with the implication clear.
“That we do,” Sonny said with a knowing look. “Remember when he was holding her purse when she went to the bathroom at that bar in El Paso?”
“Yeah, that was the same night they were holding hands waiting for the Uber,” Voorhies remembered.
“I don’t think helping Ginny keep her balance while she fixed her shoe counts as holding hands guys,” Blip said trying to kill the topic.
“Maybe not, if it had stopped after she took off her shoes,” Sonny said with a smirk.
He had a point. Mike and Ginny had a tendency to be less guarded as the drinks started flowing. He could remember a time when Ginny was leaning against Mike and what first started off as a brief one handed shoulder rub transitioned into a scalp massage that looked far too intimate for present company. Blip noticed how Ginny didn’t object to the catcher’s hands edging up the base of her neck and applying pressure underneath her curls. It was alarming for Blip because for one, the touch was welcomed and two, the touch seemed familiar.
Blip let that story die in his thoughts.
“I don’t know guys,” Blip started before being interrupted.
“It’s just a matter of time man,” Sonny resolved.
Blip was prepared to let the conversation be just another entry in the Mike and Ginny “Will They or Won’t They” catalogue, but the moment Ginny strided into the clubhouse in Mike’s sweater changed things.
As if the lights dimmed, the spotlights activated, and Ginny was a supermodel sporting the latest vintage Padres fashions. As if Blip heard the ringing of camera shutters go off with each rapid blink of his teammates eyes. There would be no explaining this away. No way to downplay it.
It took a while for Ginny to notice that the guys were staring at her.
“What?” Ginny asked looking around the room.
Minus a few mumbles, the clubhouse was silent as a bunch of grown men shifted awkwardly on their feet and attempted to make themselves look busy.
Ginny had just made it to Blip’s cubby, when Mike came in.
Ever confident and relaxed, Mike approached and slung his backpack into his cubby.
“Hey Blip.. Gin,” Mike said placing his hand on the small of her back with a smile before turning on his heels and heading to the training room.
The gesture, small. The impact, huge. Especially considering Ginny was currently wearing an unofficial member of the team.
Ginny’s cheeks reddened and Blip had his answer.
“Well shit...” Blip thought to himself.