Category : Stories

Sub Category : Drama

"Hello Maurice nice to see you again, please come in and sit wherever you want and call me-" Thank you Michael, it's been awhile since I've had an appointment. How long has been like 2 years? "Indeed it has been too long. Well let's start this off with how old are you now?" I'm 20 as of 2 months ago. "You're still in college I assume." Yeah I'm a senior now that school's out. "What's your major?" I major in psychology with a minor in English. "Why did you choose these options?" I chose psychology because I'd like to become a therapist or something in that field and English because I love to write. I'd like to get back to that, but first why have you come back to see me? Actually I don't know why, life is going pretty well." Maurice do wanna tell me how is your day going?" Well I think it's great! The weather is amazing, school is going great, I'm out for the summer and I'm getting closer to my goals. "Well what's one of your goals?" Writing is a big passion of mine, it guided me through tough times and I'm writing a book. "Can you tell me how you got here? To see you, Well first I Stepped into the warm May air, it swiftly passes me. The street was lit up by the heavenly yellow lights above the puffy sheep like clouds. I got distracted by how bright the blue sky was and wasn't paying attention crossing the street but luckily the truck stopped just in time for me to continue crossing to the bus stop. The Manchester streets are super busy with school ending for the day, but thankfully my therapist had a spot open before I go to work. It's a nice day to be riding the bus right next to the window so the hair can flow through and play with my hair all the way till the bus pulled up, I stepped off and walked into the building and met with the receptionist then you called me in. Wait, why do you want to know this? "I wanted to see your storytelling" Okay, wanna read my book? Of course just answer, do you still struggle with your past?" Not really, I came here so I can play college baseball and meet up with the good parts of my mother's family. Who are the good parts? Everyone but her. They asked if I wanted to stay up here for vacations and my cousins like to hangout. "It's great you can find lovely people from a bad person." Well her and other things inspired this book. She did more than give me a second family. Well I'll be happy to read the book now."

Maurice was only 13 experiencing bullying like "Mind as well change your name to Harley cause dudes ride you Morgan" 
And a move from New Hampshire to Millis, Mass where Jonah his father's family and where he got a job outside of Boston. But this move caused tension in the new house they're living in. His mother Martha was not thrilled by the move, leaving her family to stay in this one. She took her frustrations out on Maurice and this caused an uproar from Jonah demanding a divorce. Martha won custody of Maurice as she threatened to hurt him if he tells on her. Martha also won the house as Jonah didn't sign a prenup and she wanted to flip the house for a mansion when she gets back to New Hampshire. Martha continues to beat on Maurice as he holds her responsible for her condition.  To escape this pain he starts going to the park and visiting his grandma Carla and aunt Lizzy who were only half a mile away. Every day after school if he did his homework he'd walk past Clyde brown field watching his friends and cousins play baseball. He loved baseball, it was his favorite sport and loved it when the redsox's won 2 world series when he was little. He told his grandma Carla that he wanted to play in the big leagues. A couple weeks later for his birthday he got signed up for the baseball league and got all the equipment he needed. Luckily the past week has been quite nice, he went out to play with his friend and cousins who are happy he can finally play. Every year he got new equipment to play for the spring leagues all the way into high school, Tryouts that went great and he joined the Fishercat's varsity team. Sadly that day of his tryouts Carla would be sent to the hospital do onto Undiagnosed liver cancer. After he got news of what was going on his aunt Lizzy picked him up and went to the hospital. They tried surgical removal but it was spreading by this point and it was only a matter of days till she'd pasted in her sleep. With a silent ride home he'd arrive home with his mom screaming at him like usual to find out where he's been. He told her that grandma will die and he will be visiting her as much as he can. Maurice went inside putting his bag next to him softly weeping about what's happening around him. His mom slowly walked up to Maurice and backhanded him across the face and screamed "you're supposed to be man don't you dare cry about that pig!"Maurice quickly went into his bag and grabbed a bat and yelled "is this man enough for you!" Swinging the bat so close to her face she felt the wind from the swing. Knowing he couldn't do that to her no matter what she did he wasn't ruthless enough to hit her back. In disgust she said "This why I left your father, no matter what I did he'd do nothing back. You're weak just like your father." She then took his stuff while he was sleeping and sold it for medicine later that night. Maurice went to school the next day and met up with his Counselor Mr. Wilson. Maurice told Mr. Wilson that his mom was abusive and wanted help. Maurice told Mr. Wilson about the events last night as well and seeing the hand print on Maurice's face drove him to call the police on Maurice's mother. The police came to the scene with a body on the ground. 914C Martha Hurley is on the floor Unconscious with pills around her. Do to this Martha lost custody to Maurice and the custody would be given to Maurice's father Jonah but he wanted Maurice to "finish the school year down there". Knowing that he was a gambler and alcoholic Lizzy would try for custody. Lizzy won custody and give Maurice a true definition of family with his aunt and uncle being parental figures and his cousins Jonas and Jay  serving as brothers during this trying time for Maurice. As he was packing up to move in the hospital called Lizzy and pronounced Carla dead. The whole weight of the situation he's in hit him real hard. He asked Mr. Wilson if he should go to therapy. Mr. Wilson replied "do what you think helps you the most, if you wanna meet me twice a week so you chill here during study I'm okay with that. There's not many medical facilities around here, but you can start writing down thoughts for our next meeting if you like." Nodding Maurice agreed to his next meetings being Monday.  Seeing as Sunday is the funeral. The weekend wasn't good at all as it led to Sunday. All he could write was "I question if I'm a man or not. Is crying really that weak? Did I spend enough time with grandma? Will my parents ever love me?" Sunday came and all he had was a dark polo, pants and shoes that grandma got him. He was held by Jonah not really comforting him. His mind was a dark place so he let go staring at the body emotionless. As Jonah was a pallbearer Maurice watched as Carla was loaded into the hearse. When Jonah was finished he asked Maurice if he wanted a slurpee. Maurice not denying a sweet treat especially at this point went to 7/11 mixing all the flavors. As he got back into the car they drove off to the cemetery. The 30 minute ride was uneasy to say the least. The silence was intolerable, I just wanted Jonah to break the stillness. He wouldn't speak till the end when we were entering the cemetery. He said "are you alright?" He replied "yeah I'm fine." As the overcast was breaking Maurice exited the car to watch the casket fall into the hole like a puzzle piece. When the casket finished lowering this calming relief washed over him, "she's in a better place." Maurice said. With no one Acknowledging him he gave a soft smile and waved to the wood below, believing what his dad said about the rainbow bridge. As the service was ending he went to Jonah and went in for a hug. He retaliated with a push off and screamed "what's wrong with you?" Discouraged, he went back to what he called family. Walking back to the car Maurice got a firm back pat from his uncle comforting him reassuring everything is okay. They got in the car and let the music speak for itself. Lizzy asked Maurice "so what's your plan for baseball?" Maurice in response said, "I'm taking a break, I talked to the coach and Mr.Wilson it's not fun to me right now. "Coach said to come back when I can and Mr. Wilson agreed it's be good for me." The drive fell silent after that. It must have been used so Uncle Drew can say this once we got home. "Follow your dreams, if you want to do this for the rest of your life go for it. Don't use Grandma Carla as an excuse, have it as motivation to try your hardest and live every day like it's your last." Maurice's response was "I really need that, I only got now to play and live." He went to school on Monday where he talked to the coach first so that he's back on the team. He went to his counselor during study hall and broke the news. Mr. Wilson ecstatic high fives Maurice and wishes him luck. 

That friday was their first game of the year. Every day before then is practice so Maurice has time to show not say why he belongs here. His real show of skill didn't come till the game. Before it even started Matthew the kid everyone is raving about is talking trash how Maurice can't step up to his mom that pills had to take her out. Overtaken by anger Maurice lunged at his head and took him to the ground with pressure points. Coach pulled Maurice aside and said "Maurice people are going to try and use your past against you. You can't control what you did in the past but you can show them how you've changed alright." A slight smirk ran across Maurice's face. "Alright" Maurice responded. "Do you want to sit for the at bats?" Maurice reply, "Yes, until the team needs help." It's the bottom of the 9th, the Fischercats are down 3-4 Maurice is up at bat with 2 outs. Matthew from the pitcher's mound "you can't step up now or ever. The ump yelled "one more insult and your ejected." Matthew slightly nodded in acceptance. Maurice whispered to himself " we'll see about that." The first pitch is a fastball at eye level, 4 feet above the ground. The next pitch is a splitter in the middle and dinged right back over the pitcher's head for a double. The next man Cameron at bat would yell "I got you!" Pointing from Matthew to Maurice to the back fence in center field.  The first pitch is a curveball dinged going to the back wall to center field hitting the fence. Centerfield would scoop it up and had a cannon needed to throw it to homebase but Maurice is going around third sprinting for home and ending it with a slide head first. The ump looked up from the result and yelled "safe!" The team ran to the field and picked up Maurice parading him on the field. Coach yelled at Maurice "you gone and won us the game, you stepped up." It ends with Maurices team mowing through the competition with a perfect record and winning the state championship that year. 

"This is a good start, I feel this can be longer tho." Why not keep it how it is? That's my life you're talking about! "Okay don't get aggressive." That wasn't, okay. "It's okay to show emotions, it helps clear the mind and body. Have at the body bag in the corner." I'm okay for now, but I'll keep that in mind. I can make the story longer later, I am going to live and improve my story along the way. "Indeed you will and that is an hour." Really, it felt longer than that. "When are you free for the next session?" Is the same day and time next week okay?"I do have a slot open then. I'll see next week." Sounds good Michael. I open and close the door. I walk to the receptionist, pay her the copay and exit the building into blinding light.