Double Play at Short by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online

contest. He was jumping up and
     screaming before the ball got close to the catcher’s mitt.
    The whole team went wild. The Bullets had pulled off a victory, 7–6, at the very last moment!
    There was a lot of celebrating in their dugout as they all slapped high fives and tens on one another.Then, suddenly, Danny heard singing on the other side of the field. It came from the Jaguars’ dugout.
    Above the noise of the Bullets’ celebration, he could just make out what they were singing: “Happy birthday to you, happy
     birthday, dear
Tammmmmmy
…”
    Danny stood stock still as the final words of the song floated across the field. His mind was awhirl with confusion.
    “Looks like you two have something else in common,” a voice behind him commented. It was Joel. For once, he didn’t look like
     he was joking around.
    “Yeah,” Danny said weakly. “Weird, huh?”
    He thought about the discovery he’d made about Tammy in the library the day before, and the strange feeling he’d been having
     all game — that Tammy was somehow
familiar
to him.
    “Yeah,” he repeated slowly. “And I don’t think that’s the half of it.”

7
    D anny found the house empty when he arrived home. But he knew there would be a small family dinner to celebrate his birthday
     that evening. Mrs. Walker had promised to make his favorite, Hawaiian pork chops with extra pineapple. She was probably out
     shopping.
    The excitement of the game and the confusing thoughts bouncing around in his head had left him exhausted. He didn’t feel like
     doing anything but flopping down in front of the TV. He was in the mood for something really mindless, like an old horror
     flick or a cowboy movie. Anything but baseball.
    He clicked the TV on, then headed for the couch, where he stretched out. A talk show lady appeared on the screen, blabbing
     away. Danny searched for the remote control, but it was nowhere in sight. Hewas just about to get up when something the woman said caught his attention.
    “It’s not that difficult to find out who your parents are if you’re adopted. You may even have relatives you never dreamed
     you had!”
    Danny sat bolt upright, his heart pounding.
    “Just call this number” — an 800 telephone number was flashed on the TV screen. It was recorded instantly in his brain — “for
     an application that will set the wheels in motion. In no time at all, you could be on your way to knowing who your family
     really is.”
    Danny got up from the couch and turned off the TV.
    Am I going crazy, or could what I’m thinking about Tammy and me possibly be true? he thought wonderingly. I guess there’s
     just one way to find out.
    He went to the telephone and dialed the 800 number.
    The morning after his birthday, Danny lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the phone call he’d made
     the day before.
    The man who had answered the phone had takendown Danny’s name and address, but that was all. He’d told Danny to keep an eye on the mail for a packet of information. The
     whole call had taken less than a minute.
    So why do I feel so
guilty?
Danny thought miserably.
    But he was pretty sure he knew the answer. He’d known all his life that he was adopted. His parents had been very open and
     honest with him about it. He knew that his biological mother had died in a car crash when he’d been born and that his biological
     grandparents had not been able to take on the burden of raising a newborn. He’d never given such matters a second thought,
     except to be grateful that his adoptive parents loved him like he was their own son. The last thing he’d want would be to
     hurt them in any way.
    By seeking information about how to trace his biological roots, he knew he was risking doing just that. But the events of
     the last few days — ending with the bizarre coincidence of Tammy sharing his birthday — had made him more than curious. He
     wasn’t ready to tell anyone his suspicions just yet, though. He