It was early in the evening when Nick walked into the batting cages. It was his spot to get rid of any kind of stress and frustration, or even to get some anger and annoyance worked out. Today was just one of those days. Work, life - everything just not moving right. He hadn’t changed before getting there and had left pretty much on the clock of his shift ending and here he was. An hour in the cage should do. It usually did.
‘Inhale... exhale - relax, take it easy. Just focus on the ball and you’ll be fine...’ Glancing around, everyone was looking at him, ready to take a swing. A quick glance over at the stand, he could see that yet again, his father still hadn’t showed up - however, his mother had made the time to get there, even with her busy schedule. She was on her way up the ladder of becoming one of the most famous lawyers in history, and yet, there she was, to watch his game when she could be at work, working her ass off to get on top of everyone’s game. “You can do it, Nick. Just focus on the ball” he could hear her voice among the other parents. It was as if her words just gave him so much more focus... A swing at the ball and the ball went flying. Nick was off onto the first and second base....
A swift wind going past his face pulled Nick from his memories again and he had to excuse his near knock out encounter with the ball. Idiot. Focus! “Sorry, go again” He spoke as he got ready again to swing at the oncoming ball...
His father, the one person he had used to look up to, the one who all of a sudden didn’t show up to anything and spent more and more time apart, that until his mother passed away. That was when he suddenly wanted back into Nick’s life and for what? Money.