Jason is Cricket. That's the best way to describe the love he had for the sport. Ever since the first day he picked up the bat back in middle school, Jason has never put it down. While other children were busy with homework and school, trying to figure themselves out, Jason already knew who he wanted to be and was content with his choice. He described being on the pitch as freeing - from running in the wind to trying to hit the ball as far as you could - all that anxiety brought him excitement. No one anticipated that he could get rich from it, but thanks to his business-minded uncle, he made sure he invested his money. Cricket was his life, and that's why many of his relationships didn't work out, because he brought the game home, but with Stella, it was different, because she loved the game just as much. In fact, being with Stella also helped him escape the grasp of the girls who were chasing him. Milo was glad that he had finally met someone, although he had never met the girl in person, but he was content hearing that at least he wouldn't be alone. His heart broke watching him focus on Cricket while life had so much to offer, and because of that, never in a million years did he anticipate the moment before him. He's said that line a million times before, and the answer was always, "I will retire and die on that pitch",
"Is it because of her??" Milo pointed towards the phone, and Jason instantly hid it. "Oh..please, it's written all over your face. I knew it was either a woman or something to do with Cricket, but seeing how you suddenly want to let go of your first love, it's easy to deduce…"
Milo chuckled, "You know, I forgot how sharp you were…"
"Of course, I am. I had to deal with your naughty ass. I wonder if my sister ever anticipated that you would become the person you are today."
"I am sure she's smiling at us. You did a great job, uncle. You raised me alright, but like I said, from 18, the choices were all mine, and whatever mistakes I made from that age on, it was all me and if there is someone she should be mad at…is me". The hospital room was suddenly filled with laughter and nostalgia as they both recalled stories of younger Jason.
"...you were quite a heartbreaker, you know…", Milo recalled the number of girls who came to cry at his supermarket because his nephew turned them down,
"No…I was focused, okay.", Jason retorted
"Yeah…that you were. I mean, look at you now, one of the top 10 handsome rich men in town. You broke many young women's hearts when you suddenly announced that you were seeing someone. So, is she the one taking you from the sport? Your first love?"
"No….is not completely like that…but is part of it", Jason's eyes were completely smitten, "But it's been on my mind for some time. I am not getting younger, and I suddenly had the urge to settle down. I guess I just needed a little push towards that direction.", his heart broke a little just thinking about his promise to Stella and affection for Liberty, "It's complicated. I guess I need to figure things out a little bit.",
Milo sighed heavily, "It does sound like something is weighing heavily on you…"
"Must be the snapped shoulder…", he teased, trying to lighten the mood,
"You and you humour….", Milo chuckled, "But if you ever need to talk…or, you know, just introduce your girlfriend….especially the last part."
Jason was suddenly hit by tons of bricks. The guilt made his chest tighten, and he looked at his hands, "You already know my fiancé uncle, and she is someone you very well-"
Milo's eyes lit up with excitement as he blurted, "Liberty…is Liberty, isn't it?"
Jason choked and coughed in shock, "What? Why would you assume that?" It's not that the idea didn't excite him, but he was surprised at his uncle's sudden thoughts,
"Oh, is it not?", Milo's face dropped in disappointment, "I thought for sure it would be her-"
Jason narrowed his eyes and calmly probed, "Why?",
"Because…you never bought a girl a gift before or talk about a girl so much that my ears would burst. That day after the supermarket, I thought for sure you had a crush on her. And the way you have been so secretive about it. This hospital... the biggest clue of them all. There is a hospital affiliated with your team, but you chose to check yourself in here-", Milo explained
"Keep quiet about that last part, okay?" Jason pleaded, "No one should know that...especially Liberty..."
"Oh, so I am right? You are here because of Liberty?", Milo's eyes glimmered
"Well, a bit...yeah, but she's not my fiancé-", Jason covered his mouth the moment the words fell out. His uncle knew about a girlfriend, but not a fiancée, and he meant to let the truth out slowly,
Milo's heart throbbed, and he jumped up from the chair, "What?? What do you mean fiancé????", he exclaimed in shock
Jason lowered his voice and guiltily began to narrate his side, "Well…uncle, you see…I am actually engaged-", his face darkened with anxiousness, "I am engaged to Stella, Liberty's sister…"
Milo took a deep breath, pulled a chair and sat. For a while, the room was in complete silence as he tried to figure out his nephew's mind and decipher what he had just heard, while Jason waited patiently to be scolded by the old man. A scolding he deserved,
He finally cleared his throat, and Jason flinched, "So let me get this straight…you don't like Liberty-",
He abruptly raised his head, "What?….no, I never said that…"
"Okay, then you like both Liberty and Stella?" Milo's eyes narrowed in confusion,
"Uncle…what are you saying?"
"Okay, then you don't like Stella?" he was getting even more lost in Jason's words
"Uncle….did you hear what I said?" Jason asked anxiously, frustrated at his own complicated life, "I am engaged to Stella..."
Milo exhaled the frustration that was building up. "Okay…then why are you chasing Liberty?"
"What…why would you ask something like that? And who said I was chasing her? I just happened to run into her yesterday before the game, and I got curious and by chance, I found out which hospital she worked at...and so here we are"
Milo squinted his eyes, "Okay, and did you happen to mention that you were engaged to her sister, or did she already know?…"
Jason's silence answered his question, "I see…and how did she take it?"
Jason dropped his face in shame, "I didn't mean for her to find out that way, I didn't know they were related, okay. I am sure she hates me; she even switched hospitals."
Milo got confused, "Oh, she did? That's funny and can't be right because I am 100% certain I saw her run into the elevator on my way up here. I couldn't even say hi because she did look kinda busy...but it was definitely her-"
"What do you mean? You must be mistaken, Liberty is at the sister hospital in the countryside…her supervisor and the attending nurse can confirm that?", Jason insisted in disbelief,
It didn't take even a minute for Milo to figure out the situation, and he instantly chose a side, "Oh, I see. Now that you say it. That couldn't have been her. That girl may have been way too small to be Liberty, I was probably seeing things."
Jason knew Milo very well, so well that he could tell when he was lying, and that moment, everything became clearer to him. Liberty was right in the same building as him, "I see", he said as his heart sank even further. It would have been better if she were far away, but knowing that she wanted to avoid him so bad that she asked everyone to play along really broke his heart.
"So…you and Stella, huh? Is it love?" Milo suddenly asked to break the awkward silence, and Jason face-palmed his face,
"Are we really do this again…", and Milo laughed, "Yeah, I need to hear you say it."