Page 94 of Wild Pitch
Such a simple request, but it felt like we were doing a soft launch of our relationship—as soft as you can get when you were carrying the man’s baby.
Me: OK.
God, I wanted to jump back into it with everything I had, but I couldn’t. I had walked past Luc’s house on my morning walk, and I didn’t see all the good times, but I felt what it had been like to be locked out without explanation. The door that had always been left open for me was locked tight.
Oh, wait. There was an explanation, the relationship that had been working well, where we had just declared we loved each other—it suddenlywasn’tworking. Period. No discussion.
Flashback to me pathetically dropping to my knees, and my stomach turned. The icing on the cake was the day I sobbed on the stoop with Jake trying to console me. I’m sure Luc heard all about that from his brother.
They say you remember less of what a person did and more about how they made you feel. I remembered everything, and my body held all those sensations.
The nagging doubt in the back of my mind worried me that he was only trying because of the baby. He had denied it, but it wasn’t something I could put to rest. It reminded me to keep myheart protected. And the constant battle between my head and my heart was unrelenting.
My jeans wouldn’t zip this morning either. Had I accepted the pregnancy? Yes. But was I prepared for that feeling when my zipper wouldn’t budge? Not one bit.
I sent the photo to Kelsey, and she called and talked me through how to make my jeans last a little longer by using an elastic band. She also sent me a link to these panels that would help, so I could continue to wear the jeans I already owned. I didn’t need maternity clothes yet but was on the cusp.
My parents had been great. Kelsey and Crew had already broken them in, and it seemed like that’s what we did in this family. Single moms unite.
Kelsey was already there waiting for us when we got to our seats. I waved at Sam’s sister Josie and noted that she also had a baby bump. To me, it looked like her due date was close. Her husband had joined her, and he put up an imaginary wall between her and the rest of the stadium.
Sam’s parents and grandfather had also joined, and the grandparents took turns managing Crew. Our group took over almost an entire section.
Kelsey had taught Crew to cheer when Sam came to the mound, and he screamed, “Pops, Pops!”
Before Sam threw his first pitch, he scanned the crowd, zeroed in on his wife, and gave a quick nod. She beamed and waved back at him.
“Hey, I wanted to show you this.” She scrolled through her photos and stopped when she found the one she wanted. The pregnancy tests on the counter were lit up with big, fat positives. I hugged her, so happy that I could go through this pregnancy with my sister.
“Does Sam know?”
She nodded. “He’s so happy. He didn’t take the news about Luc too well, though.”
“Ugh. Luc’s a big boy—he’ll need to figure out how to manage his relationship with Sam. That’s not my business.”
I’d already lost enough time worrying about hiding my relationship with Luc from Sam and Kelsey. That hadn’t done any of us any good.
“My thoughts exactly.”
On the mound, Sam continued to shake off pitch after pitch. His father, who had been long known as one of Sam’s biggest critics, watched on, confused. It wouldn’t be a problem if he were staying ahead in the pitch count, but he wasn’t.
I couldn’t see inside the dugout from where we sat, so Luc was out of sight.
Carlos called time and approached the mound. They talked with gloves over their faces, and Sam looked pissed.
Sam then gave up a single and a home run before mercifully pitching his way out of the inning.
Kelsey winced. “Shit.”
“What do you think is going on?” I asked.
“I think the girls are fighting.”
CHAPTER 48
LUC
The day started great with Kylie agreeing to meet me after the game, and all my good fortune ended there.
