Page 33 of The Umpire Strikes Back

I force myself to park in my usual spot, inhaling sharply when I see the stadium already blazing against the morning sky. There’s another game today, back-to-back games are rare, but they do happen. In the back of my head, I know Ripley’s set to play today—he told me last week. Or had he? My memory blurs; everything’s been a haze since that awful text I sent him:I’m so sorry and I can’t do this.The words practically choke me now.

You have to keep it together, Kali.I slam the car door and take a few steadying breaths. I haven’t seen Ripley since I left his house the other night, and I’m not sure if I have the strength to face him. But I have a job to do—one that demands composure and authority. I tug my hat lower, as if that’ll somehow shield me from the world, and head toward the entrance.

To my surprise, there’s already a crowd forming, even though the game doesn’t start for a good hour. The buzz of conversation hangs in the air. I nod politely to a few players warming up on the field, but my gaze darts around, searching for that familiar silhouette. My heart is pounding so hard it makes my ears ring. I’m terrified of what I’ll see. Maybe I’ll see Ripley’s anger, or worse, his disappointment.

But then I see him, standing near home plate. My breath catches in my throat. He’s dressed in his team’s warm-up gear, glove resting against his hip. Tall, broad-shouldered, that lock of hair flopping onto his forehead. He’s scanning the stands like he’s looking for someone… like he’s looking forme.Even from this distance, I can sense the intensity in his posture.

Before I can decide whether to run or walk over, I spot something else—something that sends a jolt through my system: Juniper. She’s standing beside Ripley, her arm in a little sling, smiling up at him.What is she doing here on the field?My stomach clenches. A wave of guilt rushes through me, threatening to knock me sideways, but I grit my teeth and move forward.

A few fans in the bleachers start pointing, and I realize all eyes are shifting toward me. My nerves skyrocket. I’m just the umpire—why would they be…? And then I hear a crackling static, like someone turning on a microphone.

“Testing—uh—testing,” Ripley’s voice echoes through the speakers. My head snaps up. He’s holding a mic, tapping it nervously, glancing back at Juniper like he needs her strength. My heart leaps into my throat.

“Kali,” he says, voice booming over the field. There’s a hush in the stands, curious murmurs drifting around. “Kali, I know you’re here. I saw your car.” He takes a breath, and I can see how tense his shoulders are. “I, uh, I’m not real great with words sometimes, especially not public speeches, but I need you to hear this.”

My entire body is trembling. I take a step forward, half-wanting to sink into the dugout, half-yearning to run straight into his arms.

Ripley continues, eyes scanning the field until they land on me. He lifts a hand, beckoning me closer. “Kali Carter,” he says, and my name ricochets through the speaker system. “Yesterday was… rough. You and Juniper had an accident—an accident, Kali. It wasn’t your fault.” His voice is raw, but there’s a fire in it. “Sometimes things happen that we can’t predict, and I’m so damn sorry I wasn’t there to stop it or to be with you when it happened.”

I can’t move. My eyes brim with tears I’ve been trying to hold in for hours. He glances down at Juniper, who nods encouragingly, her little sling resting against her pink T-shirt. Then Ripley looks back at me.

“I love you,” he says firmly. “I love you more than I ever thought possible. You make me feel alive and hopeful in a way I haven’t since… well, since before Juniper was born, honestly. And Juniper—” he gestures to his daughter— “she loves you too. I know she does. She’s been talking about you nonstop, worried sick that you might never come back.”

My breath catches. Tears spill silently down my cheeks as people in the stands start whispering, some of them snapping pictures or videos. It’s like a scene out of a movie.A grand gesture,I think, half in awe, half terrified.

“He’s right,” Juniper pipes up, surprising me. Her voice is sweet but resolute, echoing faintly over the speakers. “Kali, I love you. And I’m okay. Please don’t be sad anymore.”

A strangled sob escapes me, and I stumble toward them, oblivious to the onlookers. My vision blurs, but I manage to step onto the field. Ripley’s face is twisted with worry, fear, and hope all at once.

“Kali,” he calls again, his voice wavering. “You’re not a bad person. You didn’t fail. You didn’t let anyone down.” He swallows, lifting the mic one last time. “We need you. I need you. Juniper needs you. We just… we want our family back.”

And that does it. Something inside me snaps, the last thread of my self-doubt unraveling. I hurry across the distance, tears streaming, not caring that a hundred people might be watching. The moment I’m close enough, he drops the mic and wraps me in his arms. I cling to him, sobbing into his shoulder, feeling his warmth envelop me.

“I’m so sorry,” I manage between ragged breaths. “I was scared, I felt so guilty?—”

“It’s okay,” he whispers, kissing my temple. “It’s okay, Kali. Accidents happen. I love you. I want you to stay.”

Juniper tugs at my sleeve, and I step back enough to see her big eyes shining with tears of her own. My heart splinters and reforms all at once. I carefully kneel, and cup her cheek. “I love you, Junebug,” I say, my voice thick. “I’m so sorry I left. I was afraid I couldn’t be what you needed. But I want to be. More than anything.”

She hugs me tight, her little sling brushing my shoulder, and I wince internally at the reminder of her injury. But she just sniffles, smiling. “Will you come home now? Please?”

I nod, tears still slipping down my cheeks. “Yes, baby. Of course.”

A cheer rises from the stands then, startling me. I’d almost forgotten we had an audience. Apparently, we do. Ripley glances around, sheepish, then helps me back to my feet. He wraps an arm around Juniper and an arm around me, pulling us both in. The crowd continues to clap and whistle, though some are wiping away tears themselves. I can’t help but laugh through my own tears, burying my face against his chest.

“You didn’t have to do all this,” I murmur, voice muffled. “But… thank you.”

He presses a kiss to my hair. “You’re worth every bit of it,” he says, voice low and certain. “Now, are we good? Because I’m thinking we should probably get you out of umpire mode for a while.”

A shaky laugh escapes me. “I still have a game to call,” I say, though it’s a halfhearted protest. My heart is too full, my mind too buoyed by the realization that we’re okay.

“Maybe they’ll find someone else for today,” Ripley suggests, smirking. “I think you’ve got more important business to handle.” He looks down at Juniper, who’s beaming up at us.

“You have to pitch,” I say with a laugh. My eyes dance between them, feeling the last vestiges of guilt fade away under their unwavering love. I grab Ripley’s hand, intertwining my fingers with his.Yeah, we’ll figure out the details later.Right now, I just want to soak in the moment: the three of us together on the field, a roaring crowd behind us, and the sure knowledge that I don’t have to walk away. I can stay, be part of this family. For real, for good.

“I love you,” I whisper to both of them, my voice trembling with happiness. Ripley and Juniper echo the words back, and the noise of the stadium swells in celebration. Suddenly, everything feels right, as if all the chaos and heartbreak led us exactly where we’re meant to be.

And that’s enough for me. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and more.

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