Page 89 of Home Run

Her eyes narrowed, reminding me of the way Millie used to look at me. “And this is because of the baby?”

“Marrying her?”

She nodded.

“No, ma’am. This is because I’m in love with her. The baby is an added bonus, but”—I chuckled nervously—“I can’t lie and say it’s not helped me speed up the process. As I was saying to your husband, she’s not easily won over.”

“Sounds like you know my daughter well.” She huffed a laugh.

“I’m getting there, ma’am.”

“And you’re together now?”

I paused, I didn’t know how much Millie had told her mom about us. But I figured seeing as she was coming to the game tonight to meet me, and given I’d just told her I wanted to marry her daughter then it wouldn’t be a total surprise if I told her the truth.

“We’re taking things slow.”

She nodded and silently ran her fingers along the headstone, tracing over the grooves of Brady’s name. “Millie told me you want to name the baby after her father, if it’s a boy.”

“Yes, ma’am. Brady. I thought it would be a good way to remember him, but we’ll find out for sure what we’re having in a couple of weeks.”

“Do you wanta boy?”

“Truthfully, I don’t care either way. I just want a healthy baby with a healthy mom.”

The way she nodded again made me think I must have answered right.

“I guess Millie told you where her dad worked? What he did?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Being married to someone who works for the government in that capacity,” she paused, “you’re always prepared for the knock on the door, so it wasn’t such a shock to me. I was grateful for the time we had together, but Millie was barely seventeen. She’d always been a daddy’s girl, and I think she took it the hardest of all of us. It’s like she lost herself that day, as well as him.”

I took a deep breath. “I have no idea how that must have been for you all, or the pain it’s caused. I can’t bring him back, obviously, but I can promise to love Millie with all my heart and care for our baby as your husband did for your kids.”

She wiped away an unshed tear that was threatening to fall. “Do you have a plan to propose?”

“No, not yet.”

“When you decide, come to me first. I have a ring her father gave me, she’s always loved it. If you want it, it’s yours.”

I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t even sure I could speak with the huge lump stuck in my throat, but I eventually managed to croak out a “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

We stood there staring at each other, until I realized that she probably wanted some privacy.

“I’ll get going.” I thumbed behind me, in the direction I’d come. “But I guess I’ll be seeing you later.”

“We’re all looking forward to it.” She smiled.

“Good, I’m glad.” I took a step back. “Um—are you going to tell Millie you saw me here?”

“No, I think you can cover that one off when you’re ready.”

“Thank you,” I said, pulling my baseball cap on as she turned to the headstone, and I left her alone.

We won the first game in the series three runs to two. Jupiter had gotten the only home run.

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