Wild Card by Ashley Munoz

Chapter Thirty

Time was a rubber bullet,shooting just as fast as any ammunition, nearly as deadly and effective, but softened by the reality of what lay beneath.

I knew I wasn’t in danger. Going to New York wasn’t the end of me, or the end of my dreams…but it still felt just as deadly as if I were to stop breathing entirely or walk straight into a prison cell, accepting a life sentence.

I kept a brave face for Taylor, who had finally started wearing her normal clothes around me again. Every now and then she’d begin to say something, only to stop, slam her eyes closed, and shake her head. I didn’t want to push her, especially because what I knew she was likely going to tell me was a fairly big, life-altering conversation. Pushing her wouldn’t do any good.

“So…” I folded a few t-shirts and set them in a cardboard box. “You’re staying, or…what’s the plan for next year?” I cautiously asked my stepsister.

We had been tiptoeing around this topic for weeks. It wasn’t like she owed me anything, but I worried about her. It didn’t slip past me that she suddenly stopped seeing random guys, or that she’d been vomiting in the bathroom every morning.

“I can’t stay here by myself…it’s too much space, and I’ll miss you.” She looked up from her container of yogurt, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

“So, you’ll go back to Dad’s?” I carefully freed two of my jackets and a few more sweaters from hangers. I was almost completely packed, but I’d have been lying if I didn’t say I’d been moving like a sloth with these last few items. I didn’t want to go.

“For the summer…and maybe I’ll come see you in New York for a bit, but otherwise I’m going to talk to the school counselor about returning next year and finishing my degree.”

I stopped mid-fold, turning toward where she sat on my bedroom floor.

“Seriously?”

I’d expected her to tell me she was moving back home or taking a year off. I mean, I knew she was keeping a pretty big secret from me, and if I was right about the secret then she would need more than a year off to handle it.

“Yeah, it’ll give me time to come up with a plan for a roommate and everything.”

“Wow…I didn’t expect you to say that.” I abandoned my clothing and sat down next to her on the floor. She had a sleeve of saltines next to her and a jug of water.

“Tay…is there something you aren’t telling me?” My voice was soft as velvet, hoping to coax the truth out of her, but she just continued eating her yogurt like I wasn’t there.

I eyed her stomach, finally not hidden under a massive sweatshirt, and hoped she’d consider telling me what was going on. There wasn’t really anything different. The shirt looked a little tight, but there wasn’t anything amiss.

She finally looked up from her snack. Her hair was up in a top knot, her face clear of any makeup. It had been a while since I’d seen her this undone.

“I’m not ready.” Her bottom lip wobbled.

I sat next to her silently, waiting to see if she’d say anything else.

“You’ve been ignoring your phone,” Taylor suddenly said, pulling herself up from the floor.

“I’ve just been busy.” I shrugged, hoping to avoid this conversation.

Again.

Taylor had tried to get me to call Decker, have an official conversation in the daylight, without the chance to have Leo break it up. She’d held me after he’d gone, but the next day I had acted like nothing had happened.

“Don’t leave without answering him or talking to him. He’s swung by the house every day, but Leo won’t let him past.”

I moved on to the top shelf of my closet. It held things from my childhood, and I thought maybe I shouldn’t take those things with me. I was starting a new life, with a stranger. Jeff had sent a courier to deliver the engagement ring I’d selected online. It was so massive and horrible, and I completely hated it. I’d always imagined if I were to be proposed to, it would be with a ring that was minimal, something the guy I loved had worked hard to afford…not something that was just another purchase for him.

I wanted there to be love put into the decision, I wanted to know he had selected it for me on purpose, for a specific reason.

Instead, I’d received the ring while I was alone. I slid it onto my finger then instantly took it off. Then I cried and cleaned the kitchen. Taylor eventually saw it, and her eyes bugged out at how big it was. She even made jokes about how I wouldn’t be able to hold my hand up, and she wasn’t wrong. I had no idea how I was going to stomach seeing it on my hand every day.

“You know who else has been calling?” I turned toward her.

My sister scrunched her nose. “That bastard?”

I nodded. “Oh yeah. Begging for me to hear him out, says he fell for me…how sweet, right?” I laughed, and it actually felt good.

Taylor’s entire face lit up with humor. “Oh my god…Elias is so pathetic.”

I heaved two boxes away from the closet and toward my bedroom door, chuckling under my breath. “I just wish I knew why he thought he could squeeze his arrangement into an actual marriage.”

“I am so glad I didn’t go that night. I can’t imagine what he would have done with holding that over my head.” Taylor grabbed one of my suitcases and helped tug it out to the living room. “By the way…” She reached down and grabbed my tablet. “Did you happen to read the latest article from that place you wanted to intern at?” She tapped away at the screen.

My chest pinched at the loss of my dream. I’d decided to be entirely immature about the loss and never read anything done by the group again. It just seemed easier.

“No, I don’t think I can.”

She made a humming sound. “Well, I’d definitely read this…in fact, I insist that you do.”

Why did she care? I was way too selfish to care about social injustice. I’d turned into the worst version of myself as I buried my dream, lost the only man I’d ever loved, and now had to marry a stranger and take over a job I didn’t want to do.

She walked over to me and slid the tablet into my hand. “I know a car will be here to get you to take you to New York, but read this…okay? Promise me.”

I gently gripped the device and swallowed. Her blue eyes were so sincere, and she hadn’t been sincere like this, ever…I had to do it. “Okay, I will.”

She leaned in and hugged me tight then swiped under her eyes.

The front door opened a second later, revealing Leo and my driver.

“I gotta go.” I cleared my throat, nearly ready to cry. “I’ll see you next weekend. Once I’m settled, I’m headed back to Dad’s, so…I’ll see you then. We’re going to see each other all the time.” My voice hitched.

Taylor nodded furiously, but more tears streaked down her face. “I know. I just…I’m going to miss you.”

I couldn’t hold it in. I choked on a sob, pulling my sister to my chest. I hugged her so tightly I didn’t think either of us were breathing.

“You did this for me. I was supposed to do it…” Taylor cried into my neck, whispering her confession.

“I’d do anything for you, Tay. Don’t ever forget that.”

We finally broke apart, our faces soaked, our hearts torn open. I finally had a sister, someone who wanted me in their life, a real relationship, and now I had to let her go.

“Okay, next weekend.”

“Yes.”

“Mal…read that article.”

I nodded one last time before walking out the front door and crawling into the black town car. The soft white leather cradled me while my heart shredded in half. I watched the house, the ritzy wreath I’d given Taylor a hard time for buying, the teal door she’d insisted we get. Tears welled in my eyes as we pulled away from the curb. That house had been my home throughout college, and all the times I had envisioned leaving it behind, it wasn’t going to be sitting in the back of a town car with no degree and no internship.

I blinked away a few salty drops that coated my lashes as I thought about my dumb, shitty Honda and the fact that I’d practically donated it to a wreck yard. I had asked if there was anyone who could use it. It ran fine, just had a few rust spots. It was gone now, like Kline Global…like Decker.

Grabbing a tissue, I cleared away my tears and finally pulled up the tab Taylor had mentioned.

The screen displayed Kline Global’s website, and there in the trending articles section was something familiar. Was that…?

The Devil’s Playground

An expose interview with Decker ‘Duggar’ James

I sat up straighter in the seat, bringing the tablet closer.

Was this for real?

I started reading, unsure if I could keep my hands from trembling. There was no way…

This is certainly a different type of article for us here at Kline Global, but a special request was emailed to one of our staff writers, and we couldn’t resist the opportunity.

This piece will be more informal than our usual ones considering I will be talking with Mr. James and essentially transcribing our entire conversation. For reference, the Devils are a Division I baseball team, ranking number two in the entire country as far as collegiate level, and the names of anyone on the team will either be changed or omitted, along with the name of the writer for the article that’s featured below.

What article? I slid my finger up the screen, bringing the rest of the story up.

Aubrey: Hello Mr. James, thanks for talking with me.

Decker: Thanks for giving me this opportunity

Aubrey: So, I’m going to try to give you the floor so you can tell us why you agreed to do this article. I feel addressing that upfront might hook our audience a bit more.

Decker: The short answer? Love.

My breath caught in my chest as I read on.

Decker: I really hope you keep reading, because the article that’s included with this conversation was written by the woman I love. It originated from a deal we’d made where she was willing to put her feelings on the back burner so I could pursue…well, we’ll get to that.

This couldn’t be…could it? I swiped again, reading further, hating how hope began to inflate my chest. If this wasn’t what I thought it was or if it was fake, I’d deflate and probably just die.

Aubrey: I have to say, this article is one of the best I’ve read in a long time.

Decker: Well, when she reads this, I hope that first, she agrees to be my girlfriend, and second, she understands how talented she is.

Aubrey: Below is the article on the team. It’s informative and spicy, but there are still a few questions I have. I’ll attach them below.

I scanned the page, and the article I’d written was there. How had he gotten it? I’d grabbed it from him…but then again, he’d somehow snuck into my bedroom without security seeing, so maybe he’d found a way to sneak in again. Still, seeing the words I’d written on the screen—it was so incredible.

Knowing what I’d written, my eyes greedily moved past the article until I saw what other questions Aubrey asked.

Aubrey: So, Decker, in the article, there’s a reference to your past with the captain of the Devils—what’s the story there?

Decker: I was supposed to start the season last year as head pitcher. I’d been working and practicing more than I’d ever gone at it before. There were scouts asking about me. They wanted to see how I’d do…but then I lost my dad.

Aubrey: I’m so sorry to hear that.

Decker: Thank you. It was difficult. I was driving three hours back home to help my mom and brother every free chance I had. Meanwhile there were these card games happening, and my captain demanded I attend and help organize them. It got to a point where I just refused to attend them anymore.

Aubrey: Based on what I read in that article, I don’t blame you.

Decker: Well the captain did. He started harassing me, bullying me, getting other team members to join in, but I was grieving my dad, and I didn’t give in to it. Then, during practice one day, he fixed a hit, nailing me in the chest with the ball. After I fell to the ground to catch my breath, he shoved his cleat through my pitching hand.

I hated being reminded of how much he’d lost by Elias’s doing.

Aubrey: After reading the article, I guess there were rumors started about you being the one to do that to him. How did all that start?

Decker: The Devils are like a dysfunctional family—you won’t always like everything about it or everyone in it. Regardless of our loyalty to one another, there were several team members who were in on the captain’s plans to hurt me. They only helped perpetuate his narrative by spreading rumors.

Aubrey: So did you lose your position then?

Decker: I lost the use of my hand for several months. After physical therapy, I could throw again, but nothing like I had in the past. I kept my position on the team, helping with stats and keeping my batting average up…but I wasn’t pitching anymore.

Aubrey: So, this deal you’d started with the writer of the article—it was info you exchanged for what? A chance to get back at the captain?

Decker: Yeah, there was something I needed that she had access to, and I knew she wanted to write the story.

Aubrey: Now, you told me you knew the entire time she wouldn’t be able to actually publish it, is that right? But you fell in love along the way?

Decker: I did, and I won’t give you excuses as to why I did it, but I lost the girl because of it. That’s why I’m doing this, in hopes of getting her back. I just hope she gives me a second chance to prove to her that she’s most important to me. More than revenge, more than home…more than anything.

Aubrey: Wow, that’s really sweet. I understand the writer was told to drop this article, am I right? That’s what piqued our interest in publishing it.

Decker: Yes. The captain intervened and had the team’s lawyers threaten her to drop it.

Aubrey: So how is it you were able to share so much info with us?

Decker: There are rules to the game.

His rough words whispered in my ear that night in the library came rushing back. I frantically searched the text for the answers I craved.

Aubrey: Okay, now I’m curious…what rules?

Decker: As you read in the article, the Devils are more than just a baseball team. Well, it’s all a way to keep the team motivated. So of course, there are rules on how we’re supposed to play. They’re broken down by card.

Rule number one: the ace—Don’t catch any feelings for your base number.

Rule number two: the queen of hearts—Never go past your base number.

Rule number three: the king of spades—Don’t talk about the game outside of the Devils’ team house.

Rule number four: the joker—Don’t ask the same person twice.

Rule number five: a royal flush—Every member on the team, no matter the position, must attend the parties.

Rule number six: the straight—If, at any time, the integrity of the game is challenged or questioned, lawyer up and deny everything.

Rule number seven: the wild card—If you fall in love as a direct result of playing the game, this card trumps all others.

Aubrey: Oh my god, I’m actually getting emotional over this. She’s your…

Decker: She’s my wild card.

Aubrey: What’s to keep other players from selling info and just claiming rule number seven?

Decker: Once you’ve claimed the rule, claiming someone is your wild card, it’s with the understanding that you have to cut all ties with the Devils and any scouts or sponsors who signed you while playing on the team. The article outlines what the benefits are of becoming a Devil, and there are perks that will follow you forever, but if you claim the wild card, that all goes away.

Aubrey: Wow. So that must be hard after being on the team for so long. There must be like a brotherhood that goes with that.

Decker: She’s the only thing that matters to me now.

Aubrey: Well I hope she’s reading this, because Kline Global will be reaching out to her regarding a writing position. This entire thing has been extremely riveting. Thank you for your time, Mr. James.

I set the tablet down in my lap with shaky hands.

Taylor had known. She’d read it…and she knew. I’d ignored his requests to see me and talk to me since that night, but he’d found a way to give me my dream back while also professing his love.

I leaned forward and told my driver we needed to change our route.