Page 127 of Fake Love

But she must have seen something in my eyes or in my expression, because she tightened the grip she had on my hand and gave me a sad smile.

“Good, because I don’t want to lose my son again. Once was enough.”

That was over a month ago, and so far I’ve been keeping that promise.

With a grueling postseason schedule it’s been hard to think about anything else but baseball.

The Miners are winning games and now we’re in the world series, only a game away from winning it all.

But today, baseball takes a back seat.

Today, it's all about Nora and making sure she has a successful surgery.

About two weeks ago, mom got a call moving her surgery up a few days. She was hesitant to take it, because from the looks of things I would be playing.

But when she called me to tell me, I told her to change it, and no matter what I will be there for her.

The baseball gods were on our side because today there’s no baseball and I was able to be where I was needed most.

Jen takes my hand as we sit, waiting for the doctor to come in and tell us that the surgery is over.

I hold her hands as tightly as I can, and try to center myself as best I can.

I concentrate on the fact that she’s here and that she loves me, all to get rid of the thoughts trying to break me.

I use her presence just like she told me to.

She told me that she would walk away if I used again and without a doubt, I would let her. It would break me beyond repair but I would let her, because she deserves more than that.

But it’s not going to happen. It will never get to that point. I won’t give her the chance to walk away, not now, not ever.

Jennifer Zaragoza is mine and will forever be mine, just like I will forever be hers.

So I hold her hand as tightly as I can and think of our future together. A future with a world series ring for me and a diamond ring for her. A future with a huge house and a few kids running around while they play with their grandma. A future where we are both happy and don’t have to worry about anything.

Jen doses off but I stay awake, not wanting to miss anyone coming in with any news.

Its at the six hour mark that my mom’s doctor, still dressed in his scrubs and surgical cap, comes into the room.

At first, my stomach drops thinking the worst possible scenarios, but when the older man gives me a smile, everything in me relaxes.

I shake my girlfriend awake so that we both can hear what the doctor has to say.

“Nora is out of surgery and in recovery. The surgery itself was successful. We were able to get the tumors out. All of them.”

37

OCTOBER 28, 2022

Maddox

Game seven of the world series.

Never did I think that I would get to a point in my career where my team would depend on me so much that they would have me pitch the most important game of the season.

Yet here I am, about to enter the ninth inning of game seven of the world series.

At the beginning of the season, I was happy to even be on a team. Now not only did I have the best season of my career, but I’ve pitched a perfect game and now about to close out the last game of the season.

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