Page 15 of Safe at Home

“Can I come, too?” Peyton asked.

“You better!”

“Will Cooper be there?”

I had to laugh. I had heard all about how awesome Cooper was with kids. Who knew? “No, he’s still in Ohio. But I know he’d be here if he could.”

Peyton scrunched up her nose, “I liked it better when you played on Cooper’s team.”

“Me too, kiddo,” I told her. “Well, I gotta get going. See you guys later.”

As I crossed the street to the stadium, I texted my coach to let him know I was on my way. I went to the players’ entrance and was led to the home team locker room. Manager Seth Enlow’s name was on the plaque of the closed door. I knocked, and the Lightning’s batting coach, Randy Downey, answered the door.

“Come on in, Stone, and have a seat,” Coach Downey said, and I noticed that the pitching coach, Connor Collins, was also in the small room. Head Coach Steve Henderson sat behind the Bobcat’s manager’s desk.

“Hi, coaches. Am I in trouble? I am so sorry about leaving the plate mid at-bat, but I had to. I had been scared to death that my girl died in the tornado, and I was so happy to see her,” I said in a fast ramble. “I just had to run to her. I’ll take any fine you give me, or if you’re sending me back down, could I at least go back to the Raptors?”

“Son, calm down and take a breath,” Coach Henderson said as Coach Collins put a hand on my shoulder. “First off, I wouldn’t let you go back down. You’re too good of a player. If anything, you’d be moving up, but I’m not ready to let you go just yet. Second, we are all family men here and know how stressed you were yesterday after not being able to communicate with your girlfriend. We understand, and we’re not going to fine you.”

I gave a huge sigh of relief and wanted to be honest with them. “She’s actually my wife.”

“Good to know,” Coach Collins said. “That information may come in handy.”

I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, and I was still confused as to why they had called a meeting in the opponent's offices.

“Have you talked to any of your teammates from the Raptors today?” Coach Downey asked.

I shook my head. “Not today. I talked to a few of them yesterday.”

Coach Henderson nodded and blew out a long breath. “There is no easy way for me to tell you this. I know from scouting reports and watching you play that you and Adam McAlister were very close.” I nodded and a sinking feeling came into my stomach. I didn’t say anything else, and Coach Henderson continued talking. “Late last night, his wife and son were found in the rubble of the tornado. His wife was covering up their young son with her body, and unfortunately, she did not make it. Adam’s son -”

“Fuck, sir. Please tell me Nico is okay,” I said with watery eyes.

Coach Henderson nodded, “Nico is alive but in critical condition. He was airlifted to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.”

I placed my hands over my head with my elbows on my legs as my body shook. That could have easily been Molly. I felt so horrible for Mack.

“Can I call him?” I asked, basically letting them know that I would be late for practice.

“I think he would like that,” Coach Collins said. “He was very relieved to hear that your girlfriend, I mean wife, was okay. He called last night wanting to talk to you, but his phone was damaged by the tornado, so he didn’t have your personal number. He left this number for you to his son’s hospital room.”

“He called from his son’s hospital room looking for me?” I asked, still reeling that his wife had died. I had just been over to their house for dinner before I got called up.

“Here is the number, Stone. And if you’re late for practice, we understand. Please, give Adam our condolences and let him know we are thinking about him and his young son.”

“You can use this office to make the call. Seth said it would be available as long as you needed it.”

I told them thank you and waited until they left the office to dial the number in my hand. I was glad that Ohio was an hour ahead of Illinois, so it wouldn’t be too early to call. I took a deep breath and hit the call button.

“Hello?” A deep, groggy voice answered.

“Mack?” I asked, making sure someone else wasn’t answering. “It’s Tyler Stone.”

“Tyler! It’s good to hear from you, son.”

“Mack, I am so sorry to hear about Ashleigh. I know it’s the wrong thing to ask, but are you doing okay?”

“I’m just in shock, to be honest. It’s not real yet.”

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