After the tickling night with the stars from "Las Vegas", the Good Guys hit the road again. They still could not play up to their capabilities, and could not shake free to gain a commanding lead in the division. Then, after returning home in Mid August, they had a major blow. Mitch injured his shoulder crashing into the right field wall while going after a fly ball in a game against St Louis. He would be out 2 to 3 weeks with a severely sprained shoulder. Without his power, the Good Guys slumped. After another week long trip, the team returned home again for a 2 week homestand. This time Mitch was sent to the team minor league camp in Freeport to play a few rehab games before returning to the lineup. Upon returning to Paradise on a Monday Morning to get ready to play in that night's game against the Dodgers, Mitch had a shocking sight as he walked into the house. He heard hysterical laughter and squeals coming from the bedroom. Hehehehehehehehehe! He knew the laughter well. It was Naomi, for he knew like the back of his hand just how his wife laughed when she was being unmercifully tickled. Knowing how Team Tickle was, he didnt worry, he figured she was just being tickled by some visiting teammate, or even perhaps Mandy or Kate just horsing around. What Mitch saw when he entered the room was anything but normal, and he became sick to his stomach. Naomi was in bed, naked, with another man, and turned white as a sheet when she saw Mitch walk in. "Oh My God, Mitch, let me explain.." She tried to begin. "Explain what, you lying, cheating, Bitch?!. You dont have to explain anything! You were in our bed, fucking another man! It's self explanatory, Iam not stupid!" He said, starting to turn and walk out of the bedroom. Mitch started to walk down the stairs, as Naomi, now in a robe, chased him, and grabbed at his arm: "Honey, wait, please" She said. "Dont you honey me. You have no morals, no values, you disgust me. What is it, being with the star of the team isnt enough. You're rich, you have looks, two children, a husband that loved you. That wasnt enough for you, you had to betray everything. You are a tramp, a cheap two bit whore! We're finished, through. Iam filing for divorce and going for custody of the children. I cant ever trust you again, you dirty, filthy, slut!" "Mitch, please, let's talk. I know I fucked up. I love you, and I dont want to lose you. Please it was a mistake, talk to me" Naomi said, grabbing at his arm. "Naomi, please let go of my arm. I have never hit you in all the years we've been together. I dont want to start now. Just let me go so I can start to plan the rest of my life without you, you adultress tramp!" Mitch seethed. Mitch left the house and went to the ballpark, where he fell assleep on a sofa. When the team gathered at the ballpark that day, Naomi tried to talk to Mitch, but he wouldnt talk to her. He merely got up in front of the team and announced: "Iam going to play out the rest of this season, and then I either want to be traded or I'm going to retire. I cant play on the same team as Naomi any more. She did something to me today that I can never forgive her for. Iam filing for divorce, and our marriage is over. As for the team, Iam going to give 110% effort for the rest of the season as always, and I hope we win the World Series. Oh, and Naomi, I'll be checking into the hotel. I'll be stopping by the house before the game tomorrow to pick up some of my clothes. I'd appreciate it if you werent there when I do" He said.
The Good Guys lost that night's game, as Mitch struck out three times, and his head wasnt really into the game. The following day, Mitch moved his things into the hotel, and began staying there, telling everyone he would just stay at the hotel until season's end, since it wasnt practical to rent an apartment for that short amount of time.
As if the trouble Mitch and Naomi were having wasnt enough, the team had another problem. Hurricane Alan had formed in the Atlantic, headed straight for the Bahamas. The residents and the team kept watch. The Good Guys were supposed to be home until the following Monday, after which they would hit the road again. By Thursday, Alan had moved close enough to Nassau to warrant evacuations. The team knew they had to leave the Bahamas, and probably the entire southern area of the US where Alan could strike. Mitch planned to go north to his mother's in Pennsylvania. He called Naomi and warned her that she better not take the children too far, worrying that she would take the children to her family's in Australia where he couldnt get at them. Naomi assured she wouldnt: "You hate me, and you have every right to. Iam not going to take the children away from their father. Iam not that heartless to do that to them or to you. I will let you know where we are" She told him on the phone. The team left the Bahamas on that Thursday night, cancelling all games that weekend. Early Friday morning, Alan struck Nassau and Paradise with a direct hit. He was a category 5 Hurricane, his winds over 150 MPH. Major destruction was all around, as Alan brought 20 inches of rain, mudslides from the cliffs, and leveled houses like cardboard boxes. Mitch and Naomi's home was destroyed, along with everything they owned. Most of the team had their homes leveled as well, including Jim Gardner, and many of the ballplayers. By Saturday morning, Alan had moved on, leaving a path of destruction as his calling card. The ballpark had also sustained major damage, and was in unplayable condition. By Saturday evening, Mitch and Naomi returned to Paradise seperately. It was a clear, beautiful evening, and they were supposed to have been playing the Braves, but instead they returned to survey the destruction of their lives. Mitch went to the area where his home was. He saw his neighbors, walking with mummified looks on their faces, stunned at the loss they had sustained. He then saw his daughter playing in the sand, perhaps too young to fully comprehend the horrible circumstance. He saw Naomi, on her knees, barefoot in the sand, hysterical crying, screaming at the losses she had suffered: "I've lost everything. My home, my marriage, my job, my life. I dont even know if I will keep my children. I have been severely punished. I dont want to live anymore! I just want to die!" Naomi screamed, misery running down her face. Mitch went over to Naomi and touched her on the shoulder. "Naomi" "I guess you must be thrilled at this. I got mine, didnt I. " She said. "Thrilled, what the fuck are you talking about, woman? I built this house with you. Those are our children. You did a horrible horrible thing, but this, God somehow, I dont know, none of that seems to matter anymore. You cheated, and yes, Iam angry, and hurt, and I dont know if I can ever forgive you. The fear I had during the Hurricane. I thought you were dead, or you and my children. Even when I thought of you, thinking of life without you was unbearable. Material things fuck all that, we'll rebuild, get another house, do something else. Thank God we are all alive to tell about it" He said. Naomi was stunned: "Are you saying you arent going to divorce me, after what I did?" She said. "Iam so angry with you, and I so want to hate you, and punish you, and never ever be with you again. I think back though to when times were happy. Something must be wrong with our marriage if you cheated. We need to find someplace to live, and rebuild. I want to go to counseling or therapy. I dont want a divorce. You might not believe this, and I dont know why myself, but I still love you, and I want us to get through this together" He said. Naomi got to her feet and lunged at him with hysterical tears: "I love you too. Iam so sorry, and we are going to work at it, and get through" She said.
It was a tough decision for Mitch to want to remain with Naomi, but he still loved her, and she was the mother of his children. He had a life with her. He reasoned that many couples cheated and still stayed married. He didnt like it, but he also knew he didnt want his family broken up. In the meantime, how would the players deal with the losses caused by the massive hurricane, and where would they play ball? There were many questions to be answered as the Good Guys faced their toughest challenge ever. Stay tuned.
Mitch
The Good Guys lost that night's game, as Mitch struck out three times, and his head wasnt really into the game. The following day, Mitch moved his things into the hotel, and began staying there, telling everyone he would just stay at the hotel until season's end, since it wasnt practical to rent an apartment for that short amount of time.
As if the trouble Mitch and Naomi were having wasnt enough, the team had another problem. Hurricane Alan had formed in the Atlantic, headed straight for the Bahamas. The residents and the team kept watch. The Good Guys were supposed to be home until the following Monday, after which they would hit the road again. By Thursday, Alan had moved close enough to Nassau to warrant evacuations. The team knew they had to leave the Bahamas, and probably the entire southern area of the US where Alan could strike. Mitch planned to go north to his mother's in Pennsylvania. He called Naomi and warned her that she better not take the children too far, worrying that she would take the children to her family's in Australia where he couldnt get at them. Naomi assured she wouldnt: "You hate me, and you have every right to. Iam not going to take the children away from their father. Iam not that heartless to do that to them or to you. I will let you know where we are" She told him on the phone. The team left the Bahamas on that Thursday night, cancelling all games that weekend. Early Friday morning, Alan struck Nassau and Paradise with a direct hit. He was a category 5 Hurricane, his winds over 150 MPH. Major destruction was all around, as Alan brought 20 inches of rain, mudslides from the cliffs, and leveled houses like cardboard boxes. Mitch and Naomi's home was destroyed, along with everything they owned. Most of the team had their homes leveled as well, including Jim Gardner, and many of the ballplayers. By Saturday morning, Alan had moved on, leaving a path of destruction as his calling card. The ballpark had also sustained major damage, and was in unplayable condition. By Saturday evening, Mitch and Naomi returned to Paradise seperately. It was a clear, beautiful evening, and they were supposed to have been playing the Braves, but instead they returned to survey the destruction of their lives. Mitch went to the area where his home was. He saw his neighbors, walking with mummified looks on their faces, stunned at the loss they had sustained. He then saw his daughter playing in the sand, perhaps too young to fully comprehend the horrible circumstance. He saw Naomi, on her knees, barefoot in the sand, hysterical crying, screaming at the losses she had suffered: "I've lost everything. My home, my marriage, my job, my life. I dont even know if I will keep my children. I have been severely punished. I dont want to live anymore! I just want to die!" Naomi screamed, misery running down her face. Mitch went over to Naomi and touched her on the shoulder. "Naomi" "I guess you must be thrilled at this. I got mine, didnt I. " She said. "Thrilled, what the fuck are you talking about, woman? I built this house with you. Those are our children. You did a horrible horrible thing, but this, God somehow, I dont know, none of that seems to matter anymore. You cheated, and yes, Iam angry, and hurt, and I dont know if I can ever forgive you. The fear I had during the Hurricane. I thought you were dead, or you and my children. Even when I thought of you, thinking of life without you was unbearable. Material things fuck all that, we'll rebuild, get another house, do something else. Thank God we are all alive to tell about it" He said. Naomi was stunned: "Are you saying you arent going to divorce me, after what I did?" She said. "Iam so angry with you, and I so want to hate you, and punish you, and never ever be with you again. I think back though to when times were happy. Something must be wrong with our marriage if you cheated. We need to find someplace to live, and rebuild. I want to go to counseling or therapy. I dont want a divorce. You might not believe this, and I dont know why myself, but I still love you, and I want us to get through this together" He said. Naomi got to her feet and lunged at him with hysterical tears: "I love you too. Iam so sorry, and we are going to work at it, and get through" She said.
It was a tough decision for Mitch to want to remain with Naomi, but he still loved her, and she was the mother of his children. He had a life with her. He reasoned that many couples cheated and still stayed married. He didnt like it, but he also knew he didnt want his family broken up. In the meantime, how would the players deal with the losses caused by the massive hurricane, and where would they play ball? There were many questions to be answered as the Good Guys faced their toughest challenge ever. Stay tuned.
Mitch
