With Mitch's emotions at nearly rock bottom, the Good Guys embarked on their second road trip of the year, this time to the midwest. They went a miserable three and six on the trip, dropping two of three in all the cities they visited, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and St Louis. They returned home on a Sunday night, to begin a nine game homestand against the West Coast teams.
In the past, Mitch had always relished returning home to Paradise after a long baseball trip, to be with his loving wife, and to hear the fans adoration of the team. Now, as the team plane descended into Nassau airport at about 9pm on that Sunday evening, Mitch was filled with a sense of utter dread. He truly didn't know what to do. He was tired, angry, and frustrated with the losses and fan heckling on the road, and, when he returned home, he had to deal with Naomi, and his personal demons, within his marriage, and within himself. He was completely confused about his life, his future, and his sense of himself, and, although it was only late April, he was also confused about the idea of retirement, and what he would be after baseball. While on the surface, Naomi said words that were supportive, he also knew that deep down, she had a lifetime of demons and grudges against him, that were unspoken. The arguments they had engaged in during the last homestand had proven that. When Mitch entered the apartment on that Sunday evening, and said "I am home", and went to check through the mail that had come for him while he was away, he was met with sarcasm from Naomi, who had entered the living room, from their bedroom:" Hello, should I go get naked, and go lie down with my legs in the air, or would you like me to wait a while, master?" Naomi said, sarcastically. "Okay, you know what. I am not home two minutes, and already you're starting. I am really tired, and not in the mood to deal with your bullshit, so why dont you just go fuck yourself, since you're so interested in sex, okay, you bitch!" Mitch snapped, and walked into the bedroom. Naomi followed him, and continued the argument
:" No, it is not okay. You know why, Mitch. I have been doing a lot of thinking while you were away, and I really have the bottom line of what your problem is, and what our problem is. In all our married life, over 20 years. You have always walked around with this Mister Air of Bravado, I am perfect, my shit dont stink attitude. It is always either the fans, the manager, your teammmates, Alan, me, or your father. It is never you, Mitch. I'll hear the occasional acknowledgement from you of wrong doing if you hurt me or whatever, but it is always with an excuse. "Well, the team was slumping. Or, I had a bad road trip, Or, Alan is getting on my case." It is never, Naomi, honey, I did these things to you and to our marriage, to fuck up, and I am really, really sorry, and want to fix it. You also love to paint me as a volcanic, fight loving, bitch, who just loves to jerk your chain, and bust your chops, and you know what, Mitch, I am fucking tired of it. All you are is a scared little baby. You cant keep using your father and your childhood as an excuse for why you treat me as you do. I am supposed to do certain things for you, but I dont owe you anything. I am your wife, goddamnit, not your slave, or your maid, or your muse. You are really going to have to get a grip. I can understand you being sad and unsure, and upset, and even depressed about the uncertain future, but I cant stand the excuses anymore, and I wont. I'll be honest with you, and it kills me to say this, but you are going to have to change, and fast, or, I have really been thinking that we should just live here platonically, for the rest of the season, to fulfill our commitment to the team, and then seperate, and divorce, once the season is over. I cannot and will not go on like this. I am just fucking sick of it!" Naomi said. "Okay, so now you're saying you want to leave me, and you want our marriage to be over?" Mitch said, with hurt and anger in his voice. "No, I am not saying that. If I wanted that, you would have come home to find me not here, and I am still here, aren't I? I didnt leave you and take the kids and find another apartment to live in, did I? I still love you, damn you, and I will fight with every breath in me to make this work, but something has changed, Mitch, you are so different from even the second time you married me. You used to be honorable, and happy, and be able to deal with things. Now you deal with nothing. You always have liked to blame others for your problems, but as your troubles have deepened, it's gotten worse. I have many issues, and I know there are times I drive you crazy. Well, you know what, Mitch, I got news for you, baby, you drive me fucking insane also. I know that every marriage has it's problems, and I am prepared to deal with things, but, if you aren't and aren't willing to take responsibility for yourself, and the things you do, then all you are being is a coward, and I cant live with a coward. I insist that in addition to marriage counseling, that you go in for individual therapy, and begin to face up to yourself. If you dont, I will have to leave you. I dont want to, and it will kill me, but there will be no other choice" Naomi said, firmly, and not in anger, in a voice where Mitch knew she meant business. Mitch was silent for a minute, before Naomi said something else to drive the point home. "Remember, many years ago, and even just before we remarried, when I was a drug abuser, and fucked our marriage and our family. Those were the most incredible demons that I had to face. I admitted them, apologized, went for counseling, and I am drug free today. I dealt with my problem, Mitch, without blaming you, or Alan, or the man in the moon. You dont have to be perfect, on field, or off. I never asked for perfect. All I ask for is a husband who loves me, and who can be man enough to really admit and feel when he's wrong. Feel it from the heart, Mitch, not just say:" Oh, okay, I'm apolgizing to you, so you, Bitch Naomi, wont badger me." Iam going to ask the couneslor to find you an individual therapist, and I will go with you the first time, so he can hear from me the problems, and what I have to deal with, and you wont try to sugar coat it, like you always do!" Naomi said, firmly.
Mitch was silent for a moment, then, all the anger, rage, frustration, and sadness poured out of him in a fit of hysterical crying. At that moment, he was terrified he was going to lose it all. "Okay, I will go, and I am so so sorry, for every fucking thing I've ever done to hurt you, but I ask you not to leave me. I will do whatever it takes, and accept whatever responsibility I have to to make this work, because, if I dont, and I lost you again, that is not an option for me, and if that happened, I think I'd have to pack it all in" Mitch said, red faced, tears still dripping down his face.
"I am very tired, Mitch. I havent been sleeping, so I think we should go to bed. Please go sleep in the guest room tonight. It doesnt seem appropriate that we should be all kissy, kissy lovey after what just happened tonight. I will let you back into bed in a few days, so that we can do things before you have to go away again, but we both have to digest this" Naomi said. Mitch nodded silently, then said. "I love you, Naomi with all my heart. I do not want to lose you again, so I will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesnt happen" Mitch said. "I believe you, Mitch, I wouldnt be here if I didnt, but your actions have to match your words. Words are just words, you have to back them up with actions" Naomi said.
The couple went to sleep in seperate rooms, and, had a fairly quiet day the next day, before they had to meet up with the team to play the Giants that night. Kate Hudson started, and she pitched a fine game, allowing but two runs over eight innings, in a 5-2 win. Gil Bellows was on the hill the next night, and he, too, pitched well, permitting three runs in seven innings, of a 6-3 victory. Charlize Theron pitched on Wednesday night, and she fell just short, dropping a 2-0 decision, due to silent bats that night.
Thursday was an off day. Mitch and Naomi went for their marriage counseling session that day, and then Mitch went to his individual therapist. That night, as they undressed for bed, Naomi came to Mitch. "Come to bed with me. It's been four nights. We can. It doesnt mean we have solved everything, because we are far from there, but aside from needing it, I think we should, because it is positive that you took this step, to show yourself as a responsible adult." Naomi said. When Mitch went into bed with Naomi, he was awkward as they were making love, worrying that he would do something wrong to insight her, and fuck things up. She quickly put a stop to that:" Listen, just do as you've been doing to me for over 20 years. I am not going to leave you, or hold you responsible, if you do something I dont like. Just relax and do what we always do. I told you, I love you, and we are going to work through this. I wouldnt be here if I didnt want to do that" Naomi said. Still, even though they made love, and had orgasms, Mitch felt very unsure, his confidence was shattered.
San Diego came to town on Friday night. Neve Campbell took the hill, and pitched her heart out, but three Good Guy errors allowed four unearned runs, and gave the Good Guys a 4-3 defeat. The fifth starter pitched a very gritty game on Saturday, firing six strong innings, and combining with the bullpen, to gain credit for the win, 5-4. Kate Hudson took the hill on a sunny Sunday in front of a sellout. She was magnificent, striking out sixteen Padres. A first inning three run homer was all the Good Guys needed, to come away with a 3-0 triumph.
The Dodgers visited Paradise in the series last homestand, before the Good Guys would head off to California for ten days. Gil Bellows started the series, by dropping a 1-0 decision on Monday night. On Tuesday, things were better, as Charlize Theron combined with Hilary Duff, to blank the Dodgers, 2-0. The only runs were delivered by a two run eighth inning homer by Mitch, to break a scoreless tie. Neve Campbell was on the mound on Wednesday afternoon, in front of a matinee sellout. Neve had a difficult start, allowing five runs in five innings. At first, it looked like the Good Guys were going down to defeat that afternoon. Trailing 5-1 in the eighth, they rallied to tie the score, on two home runs in the inning. Then, in the eleventh, catcher Barney drove an Eric Gange pitch over the left field fence, to give the Good Guys the series win, and a 6-5 triumph that day, that completed a six and three homestand. It had been a very long and difficult homestand both on field and off, and while it appeared that Mitch was hopefully on the right track, one had to wonder if ten days seperated from Naomi would be productive, considering the turmoil that had existed during that homestand.
On Thursday afternoon, Naomi drove Mitch to the airport. As he departed for the long trip to the West Coast, she left him with a few words. "I am sorry that there wasn't as much love and sex on this homestand as usual. I needed to do what I did, to get you to see the light, and I hope you have. I still love you, and I want to work this through with you, and I want you to work this through for yourself. I am not going anywhere, and I will be right here waiting for you when you come home next Sunday" Naomi said. Mitch hugged Naomi tight, tears in his eyes. "I love you, with every breath in me. I thank you for doing what you did, and for staying with me, so we can work this through, and I can work it through. I dont ever want to lose you again" Mitch said, wiping the tears, and heading into the terminal, for the plane to San Fransisco.
In the meantime, probably of far less significance, considering all the important developments for the couple during that homestand, the team held it's Saturday night tickle party. The featured lee, would be a cute waitress with short red hair, who often served the team at many of their tickle parties, and wanted to explore tickling. She willingly stripped naked, and was tied hands and feet to a table in the middle of the fetish club. Catcher Barney began the tickle on the waitress' neck with fingers, as her head shifted from side to side, and the giggles began: HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! NO! Moving down, second baseman Russell, tickled the waitress under her arms, and down her sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as she thrashed at her restraints, and more squeals erupted from her:HEHEHEHEEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHE! OMG THATS SO TICKLISH! NOOOOO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Third baseman Michael was next, tickling the waitress on her inner thighs, and behind her knees, with fingers, as she bucked, and giggled. Finally, Mitch, having Naomi's approval to do so, and with her standing at his side, grinning at the waitress' tickle predictament, tickled the waitress on the soles of her pretty red pedicured feet with fingers, a feather, and a vibrating electric massager on her soft soles and toes. The waitress went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and squealing with hysterical girlish laughter, begging for mercy:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHEHE! OMG PLEASE NO MORE! I GIVE UP! NO PLEASE NOO MORE NO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Finally, the tickle ended, and the exhausted waitress was untied.
So, as the team headed to California for their ten day sojourn, it appeared that perhaps Mitch and Naomi had finally reached a declaration of peace in their relationship, through Naomi's ultimatium, and Mitch's agreement to go for counseling, and to try and change his ways. Would it be a temporary truce, or a first step in moving forward toward a permanent solution to the problem, so the couple could finally live in peace after they retired. What would happen next? Stay tuned for the continuing story of the Tickle Team from Paradise Island.
The End
In the past, Mitch had always relished returning home to Paradise after a long baseball trip, to be with his loving wife, and to hear the fans adoration of the team. Now, as the team plane descended into Nassau airport at about 9pm on that Sunday evening, Mitch was filled with a sense of utter dread. He truly didn't know what to do. He was tired, angry, and frustrated with the losses and fan heckling on the road, and, when he returned home, he had to deal with Naomi, and his personal demons, within his marriage, and within himself. He was completely confused about his life, his future, and his sense of himself, and, although it was only late April, he was also confused about the idea of retirement, and what he would be after baseball. While on the surface, Naomi said words that were supportive, he also knew that deep down, she had a lifetime of demons and grudges against him, that were unspoken. The arguments they had engaged in during the last homestand had proven that. When Mitch entered the apartment on that Sunday evening, and said "I am home", and went to check through the mail that had come for him while he was away, he was met with sarcasm from Naomi, who had entered the living room, from their bedroom:" Hello, should I go get naked, and go lie down with my legs in the air, or would you like me to wait a while, master?" Naomi said, sarcastically. "Okay, you know what. I am not home two minutes, and already you're starting. I am really tired, and not in the mood to deal with your bullshit, so why dont you just go fuck yourself, since you're so interested in sex, okay, you bitch!" Mitch snapped, and walked into the bedroom. Naomi followed him, and continued the argument
:" No, it is not okay. You know why, Mitch. I have been doing a lot of thinking while you were away, and I really have the bottom line of what your problem is, and what our problem is. In all our married life, over 20 years. You have always walked around with this Mister Air of Bravado, I am perfect, my shit dont stink attitude. It is always either the fans, the manager, your teammmates, Alan, me, or your father. It is never you, Mitch. I'll hear the occasional acknowledgement from you of wrong doing if you hurt me or whatever, but it is always with an excuse. "Well, the team was slumping. Or, I had a bad road trip, Or, Alan is getting on my case." It is never, Naomi, honey, I did these things to you and to our marriage, to fuck up, and I am really, really sorry, and want to fix it. You also love to paint me as a volcanic, fight loving, bitch, who just loves to jerk your chain, and bust your chops, and you know what, Mitch, I am fucking tired of it. All you are is a scared little baby. You cant keep using your father and your childhood as an excuse for why you treat me as you do. I am supposed to do certain things for you, but I dont owe you anything. I am your wife, goddamnit, not your slave, or your maid, or your muse. You are really going to have to get a grip. I can understand you being sad and unsure, and upset, and even depressed about the uncertain future, but I cant stand the excuses anymore, and I wont. I'll be honest with you, and it kills me to say this, but you are going to have to change, and fast, or, I have really been thinking that we should just live here platonically, for the rest of the season, to fulfill our commitment to the team, and then seperate, and divorce, once the season is over. I cannot and will not go on like this. I am just fucking sick of it!" Naomi said. "Okay, so now you're saying you want to leave me, and you want our marriage to be over?" Mitch said, with hurt and anger in his voice. "No, I am not saying that. If I wanted that, you would have come home to find me not here, and I am still here, aren't I? I didnt leave you and take the kids and find another apartment to live in, did I? I still love you, damn you, and I will fight with every breath in me to make this work, but something has changed, Mitch, you are so different from even the second time you married me. You used to be honorable, and happy, and be able to deal with things. Now you deal with nothing. You always have liked to blame others for your problems, but as your troubles have deepened, it's gotten worse. I have many issues, and I know there are times I drive you crazy. Well, you know what, Mitch, I got news for you, baby, you drive me fucking insane also. I know that every marriage has it's problems, and I am prepared to deal with things, but, if you aren't and aren't willing to take responsibility for yourself, and the things you do, then all you are being is a coward, and I cant live with a coward. I insist that in addition to marriage counseling, that you go in for individual therapy, and begin to face up to yourself. If you dont, I will have to leave you. I dont want to, and it will kill me, but there will be no other choice" Naomi said, firmly, and not in anger, in a voice where Mitch knew she meant business. Mitch was silent for a minute, before Naomi said something else to drive the point home. "Remember, many years ago, and even just before we remarried, when I was a drug abuser, and fucked our marriage and our family. Those were the most incredible demons that I had to face. I admitted them, apologized, went for counseling, and I am drug free today. I dealt with my problem, Mitch, without blaming you, or Alan, or the man in the moon. You dont have to be perfect, on field, or off. I never asked for perfect. All I ask for is a husband who loves me, and who can be man enough to really admit and feel when he's wrong. Feel it from the heart, Mitch, not just say:" Oh, okay, I'm apolgizing to you, so you, Bitch Naomi, wont badger me." Iam going to ask the couneslor to find you an individual therapist, and I will go with you the first time, so he can hear from me the problems, and what I have to deal with, and you wont try to sugar coat it, like you always do!" Naomi said, firmly.
Mitch was silent for a moment, then, all the anger, rage, frustration, and sadness poured out of him in a fit of hysterical crying. At that moment, he was terrified he was going to lose it all. "Okay, I will go, and I am so so sorry, for every fucking thing I've ever done to hurt you, but I ask you not to leave me. I will do whatever it takes, and accept whatever responsibility I have to to make this work, because, if I dont, and I lost you again, that is not an option for me, and if that happened, I think I'd have to pack it all in" Mitch said, red faced, tears still dripping down his face.
"I am very tired, Mitch. I havent been sleeping, so I think we should go to bed. Please go sleep in the guest room tonight. It doesnt seem appropriate that we should be all kissy, kissy lovey after what just happened tonight. I will let you back into bed in a few days, so that we can do things before you have to go away again, but we both have to digest this" Naomi said. Mitch nodded silently, then said. "I love you, Naomi with all my heart. I do not want to lose you again, so I will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesnt happen" Mitch said. "I believe you, Mitch, I wouldnt be here if I didnt, but your actions have to match your words. Words are just words, you have to back them up with actions" Naomi said.
The couple went to sleep in seperate rooms, and, had a fairly quiet day the next day, before they had to meet up with the team to play the Giants that night. Kate Hudson started, and she pitched a fine game, allowing but two runs over eight innings, in a 5-2 win. Gil Bellows was on the hill the next night, and he, too, pitched well, permitting three runs in seven innings, of a 6-3 victory. Charlize Theron pitched on Wednesday night, and she fell just short, dropping a 2-0 decision, due to silent bats that night.
Thursday was an off day. Mitch and Naomi went for their marriage counseling session that day, and then Mitch went to his individual therapist. That night, as they undressed for bed, Naomi came to Mitch. "Come to bed with me. It's been four nights. We can. It doesnt mean we have solved everything, because we are far from there, but aside from needing it, I think we should, because it is positive that you took this step, to show yourself as a responsible adult." Naomi said. When Mitch went into bed with Naomi, he was awkward as they were making love, worrying that he would do something wrong to insight her, and fuck things up. She quickly put a stop to that:" Listen, just do as you've been doing to me for over 20 years. I am not going to leave you, or hold you responsible, if you do something I dont like. Just relax and do what we always do. I told you, I love you, and we are going to work through this. I wouldnt be here if I didnt want to do that" Naomi said. Still, even though they made love, and had orgasms, Mitch felt very unsure, his confidence was shattered.
San Diego came to town on Friday night. Neve Campbell took the hill, and pitched her heart out, but three Good Guy errors allowed four unearned runs, and gave the Good Guys a 4-3 defeat. The fifth starter pitched a very gritty game on Saturday, firing six strong innings, and combining with the bullpen, to gain credit for the win, 5-4. Kate Hudson took the hill on a sunny Sunday in front of a sellout. She was magnificent, striking out sixteen Padres. A first inning three run homer was all the Good Guys needed, to come away with a 3-0 triumph.
The Dodgers visited Paradise in the series last homestand, before the Good Guys would head off to California for ten days. Gil Bellows started the series, by dropping a 1-0 decision on Monday night. On Tuesday, things were better, as Charlize Theron combined with Hilary Duff, to blank the Dodgers, 2-0. The only runs were delivered by a two run eighth inning homer by Mitch, to break a scoreless tie. Neve Campbell was on the mound on Wednesday afternoon, in front of a matinee sellout. Neve had a difficult start, allowing five runs in five innings. At first, it looked like the Good Guys were going down to defeat that afternoon. Trailing 5-1 in the eighth, they rallied to tie the score, on two home runs in the inning. Then, in the eleventh, catcher Barney drove an Eric Gange pitch over the left field fence, to give the Good Guys the series win, and a 6-5 triumph that day, that completed a six and three homestand. It had been a very long and difficult homestand both on field and off, and while it appeared that Mitch was hopefully on the right track, one had to wonder if ten days seperated from Naomi would be productive, considering the turmoil that had existed during that homestand.
On Thursday afternoon, Naomi drove Mitch to the airport. As he departed for the long trip to the West Coast, she left him with a few words. "I am sorry that there wasn't as much love and sex on this homestand as usual. I needed to do what I did, to get you to see the light, and I hope you have. I still love you, and I want to work this through with you, and I want you to work this through for yourself. I am not going anywhere, and I will be right here waiting for you when you come home next Sunday" Naomi said. Mitch hugged Naomi tight, tears in his eyes. "I love you, with every breath in me. I thank you for doing what you did, and for staying with me, so we can work this through, and I can work it through. I dont ever want to lose you again" Mitch said, wiping the tears, and heading into the terminal, for the plane to San Fransisco.
In the meantime, probably of far less significance, considering all the important developments for the couple during that homestand, the team held it's Saturday night tickle party. The featured lee, would be a cute waitress with short red hair, who often served the team at many of their tickle parties, and wanted to explore tickling. She willingly stripped naked, and was tied hands and feet to a table in the middle of the fetish club. Catcher Barney began the tickle on the waitress' neck with fingers, as her head shifted from side to side, and the giggles began: HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! NO! Moving down, second baseman Russell, tickled the waitress under her arms, and down her sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as she thrashed at her restraints, and more squeals erupted from her:HEHEHEHEEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHE! OMG THATS SO TICKLISH! NOOOOO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Third baseman Michael was next, tickling the waitress on her inner thighs, and behind her knees, with fingers, as she bucked, and giggled. Finally, Mitch, having Naomi's approval to do so, and with her standing at his side, grinning at the waitress' tickle predictament, tickled the waitress on the soles of her pretty red pedicured feet with fingers, a feather, and a vibrating electric massager on her soft soles and toes. The waitress went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and squealing with hysterical girlish laughter, begging for mercy:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHEHE! OMG PLEASE NO MORE! I GIVE UP! NO PLEASE NOO MORE NO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Finally, the tickle ended, and the exhausted waitress was untied.
So, as the team headed to California for their ten day sojourn, it appeared that perhaps Mitch and Naomi had finally reached a declaration of peace in their relationship, through Naomi's ultimatium, and Mitch's agreement to go for counseling, and to try and change his ways. Would it be a temporary truce, or a first step in moving forward toward a permanent solution to the problem, so the couple could finally live in peace after they retired. What would happen next? Stay tuned for the continuing story of the Tickle Team from Paradise Island.
The End
