490 Something to Say (1/2)

Something to say? Who? Me? Me to him? I had a lot to say, but his sudden appearance made me blank out. Add the fact that the boys already said he should be at a game right now just made me even more confused.

”What are you doing here?” Zeke spoke up and stepped up. He took the lead, standing in front of the four of us.

”I'm here to see him.” Jeremy tilted his head at me before looking at Zeke.

”Like we said before, if you have something to say or want to meet Jake, please go through his caseworker. Or our parents.” Zeke told him, standing almost eye to eye. He wasn't as built as Jeremy, but he wasn't a pushover either.

”There's no need.” Jeremy told him. ”The results are in. He's my brother.” He paused, almost like it was a dramatic scene from a movie.

But... ”We already knew that.” Noah stepped up beside Zeke. ”We're the ones that told you. That doesn't give you the right to just show up unannounced.”

”Isn't that what you did?” Jeremy said to me, looking down at me. ”You just showed up out of the blue after I get traded up here. Was it really a coincidence?”

”Jake had no say in that!” Kyle yelled. ”Heck, it wasn't until you got traded that he recognized you.”

”How?” Jeremy folded his arms across his chest. ”The last time we saw one another, you were a toddler. How could you possibly recognize me?”

Seeing the Atkins face off with my real brother made my chest and head hurt. With the question in mind, I answered honestly. ”You looked like Dad. I didn't think I would recognize you, but I knew his face.”

Jeremy's arms dropped, his jaw slightly dropped. ”You-”

”Mr. Patterson.” Coach's voice rang out. He joined our group. ”As nice as it is to have such a great player here at my field, you're not welcomed here to harass my players.” He glanced at Zeke. ”Why don't you boys head home while I have a short chat with this young man on what's appropriate school behavior.”

Zeke nodded, then looked at the rest of us with a raised eyebrow. ”Did you guys not practice enough?”

”I wonder what's for dinner.” Kyle was the first to turn away, heading for the car.

”Mom might cook lasagna.” Dave hummed, following his twin.

Noah glanced at Jeremy. ”Jerk. C'mon Jake, let's go home.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me back to the car, with Zeke following right behind. ”I hope Coach lectures him to death.”

I let out a small laugh.

Noah smiled. ”You okay, Jake?”

I nodded. ”I'm fine.”

”That didn't bug you?”

I shrugged. ”I don't really know why he came by. Or what he wanted me to say.”

”He was probably feeling guilty as hell. The results are out.” Noah deepened his voice. ”Jake, he is your brother.”

I stared at him, blankly. Okay?

Noah poked me in the ribs. ”Kind of like 'Luke, I am your father' type of deal.”

”Who's Luke?”

”It'll have to wait.” Dave said as we joined him and Kyle at the car. ”We still have one more baseball game to focus on.”