“Oh, good morning,” I said. “What’s up?”Before either of them could answer, I followed up with, “Happy Father’s Day, Dad.” I rushed ov...er and bent down to give him a big hug. Dad clasped me back in a manly, bear-like embrace, hands slapping my shoulders. “Thanks, son,” Dad said as we released each other and I straightened up. “I’m sorry I can’t be here.”I immediately looked confused. I was elated at the opportunity to be alone with Mom, but I really was confused. “I have a very special meeting. "Long as there's nobody on base, I'm gonna let Dolly call for the change-up, once in awhile. If he calls for it, you don't waive it off, you understand? You just try to throw it. Don't try so hard to disguise it -- just concentrate on throwing it over, and getting some contrast to your fast one. These fuckers don't know what your motion looks like, anyway. They're just concentrating on not getting hit by a pitch." OK."Bottom fifth, sure enough, I got one strike on the bottom-of-the-order. I’d always be able to avoid wrecks and such. It doesn’t mean I won’t wipe out, but if I did, I would be safe from harm.”The group agreed that it was a sensible wish. They also commented on how the wishes were so more open than when we last played the game a couple of years ago. I guess we’d matured.Robert was next and his was probably the most seemingly simple wish of them.“My wish is that no matter what, I never get lost again.”“What kind of wish is that,” asked James.“Yeah,” pipped up Brent.. All you had to do was ask.”She somehow managed to hold back the retort, but her eyes flashed dangerously. Yeah, she had a fair point; if I hadn’t kidnapped her in the first place, six hours ago she’d have been back home, her run completed, in her own bedroom, having a hot shower before breakfast, looking forward to the weekend ahead. Life can be a real bitch sometimes, you know?The next bottle of water was ready and waiting just outside the door, I backed away from her, picked it up by feel,.