Epilogue
epilogue
AMELIA
The energy in the air is palpable.
Excitement and uncertainty hang all around us.
I guess that’s to be expected in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series. It’s been a grueling six games against the Wilkesboro Wolves, both teams putting up a fight for the title. Judd started tonight and is still going strong. I know he’s determined to make the last game of Kessler’s career memorable.
Lucy and I are sitting in our usual spot behind home plate, one sleeping twin strapped to each of our chests. I swear she’s more superstitious than Kessler. He tried to convince her to sit in the suite for the series games because of the utter chaos that can happen, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She said she’s sat behind home plate at every home game of his she’s ever been to and she won’t be changing it in the last games of his career.
So here we sit with our very large group of family and friends, watching the men we love play the best game of their life. Judd hasn’t walked one batter tonight, making each man who gets on base earn it. They’re leading the game by one run, and if they can hold off these last few batters, it’s game over.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Lucy mutters as our guys take the field, hopefully for the last time tonight. Kessler takes his position behind the plate and before he lowers his mask, he sends a wink to Lucy and taps his chest plate three times. She kisses three of her fingers and holds them up to him in return.
The crowd’s cheers grow louder as Judd takes the field, but instead of heading towards the mound, Judd jogs to Kessler. They exchange a fist bump and a laugh, then both of them embrace each other in a back slapping hug before Judd sends a wink towards me and jogs off to the mound.
Lucy and I both look at each other with matching red-rimmed eyes. We’ve grown close over this last season with the guys being on the road half the year and Lucy needing help with the twins. Not only have I gained a friend over these last few months, but I’ve gained a sister I never knew I wanted.
A wave of nausea hits me, making me suck in a slow, steadying breath. I have a surprise for Judd when he gets home tonight. One we brought back with us from our trip to Sisters during All-Star week break. One only Lucy knows about because she and Kessler were with us on that trip and announced a surprise of their own last month. It wasn’t until their announcement that I realized I had missed my period.
“Are you okay?” Lucy asks, leaning into me and lowering her voice.
I nod. “The nerves aren’t helping, but I’ll be fine. I haven’t tossed my cookies for a few days, so I think I’m on the upside of this.”
“Upside of what?” Charlie asks, returning to her seat on the other side of me, her own surprise securely in her arms.
“Uh, finishing up the decorations for the house,” I say quickly.
It’s not that I don’t want to tell Charlie. I just need to tell Judd first. Seeing Lucy every day meant I wasn’t able to hide my morning sickness from her. And seeing as she’s pregnant for the second time in a year, she guessed it right away.
“Oh, that’s great. I can’t wait to see it once it’s done.”
Charlie and Hazel have come over during different stages of building, but we haven’t had anyone over to see the final product. There’s one room I’ve been hard at work on, not even Judd knows about, but he will tonight.
“We’ll have everyone over for a housewarming party soon,” I assure her.
The volume of the crowd increases, making us all turn our attention to the field. The first batter of the inning has taken their position. Judd already struck him out twice tonight, and I’m praying he does it again.
His first pitch goes straight through the strike zone, but the batter was behind in his swing, earning Judd a strike. The second pitch is the same, adding another strike to the board. Before the next pitch, the batter takes a timeout and steps out of the box, taking a couple of practice swings and blowing out a breath before returning.
“Hit him with your changeup,” Henry shouts from his seat behind us.
Lucy shakes her head and turns to Henry. “No, the guy has been behind on his swings all night. Judd needs to either keep throwing the fastball or give him a slider.”
“It’s killed you not coaching this season, hasn’t it,” I tease Lucy, bumping her shoulder with mine.
She groans. “You have no idea. And now I won’t be coaching next year either, thanks to my not-so-great timing.” She lifts a shoulder. “But Kessler will be retired, and I think the boys will have no qualms about being coached by him.”
I look at where Hudson and Kade are standing in the dugout with the Silverbacks. Kessler arranged for them to be the official bat boys for the World Series games and they have eaten up every second of it.
“Are you still going to be the assistant coach, Kara?”
She pokes her head out from the other side of Lucy with a Red Vine clamped between her teeth. She rips off a bite and chews for a minute before replying. “Fuck no, that’s what this one is for,” she says, nodding to Garrett, who’s sitting to her left.
He looks down at her, giving her a smirk that could melt the panties right off of you. “Is that the only reason you want me? For my coaching skills?”
Kara lifts a shoulder. “You might have a few other uses.”
Garrett leans down and whispers something into her ear, making Kara’s entire face flush a bright red. I’ve only known her for a short while, but Kara is not one who blushes easily, so I have no doubt whatever Garrett just said to her is something dirty and I couldn’t be more happy for her. The start of their relationship was anything but easy. Everyone knew they were meant for each other. They just both had high walls that they needed to dismantle for each other. Seeing them now happy and at peace tells me the journey was worth it.
Cheers grow louder around us, and I turn back to the game to see Judd has struck out the first batter.
“One down, two to go,” Lucy mutters, twisting the ring on her thumb faster.
“They’ve got this,” I say, not sure if I’m trying to reassure her or me at this point.
Batter number two steps up to the plate and Lucy groans.
“What?” I ask, not really sure if I want to know the answer.
“He’s made it on base every time tonight.”
I grimace. “Maybe he won’t this time?”
The crack of the bat quickly diminishes my optimism as the batter sends a line drive between first and second. Brent dives for the ball once it hits the ground. He’s able to scoop it up, but the guy is fast and makes it to first just before the ball hits Duke’s glove.
“Or maybe he will.”
“It’s ok, it’s just one runner,” Lucy reassures me, or herself. Honestly, could be both of us at this point.
The next batter hits a pop fly that Reese catches for an easy out.
Lucy jumps to her feet with the rest of the crowd. If we get this last batter out, it’s game over.
Kessler lifts his mask and calls for time, then jogs out to the plate. He and Judd place their mitts over their mouths as they talk to keep the opposing team from reading their lips. A few head nods and a butt slap later, Kessler returns to home plate and takes his position.
The first pitch is outside for ball one. Kessler tosses the ball back to Judd, who catches it, then wipes the sweat from his brow with his arm. Setting himself back up, he throws another pitch for an inside corner strike.
I reach down and grab Lucy’s hand. Aspyn stirs from inside her carrier strapped to my chest and I start to bounce and sway softly, soothing her and my nerves slightly.
Judd sets up again and checks over his shoulder at the runner on first who’s taken a big lead off the base. Judd fakes a throw to the batter and spins to throw to Duke. The crowd grows silent as the runner slides back into the bag, touching it right as the ball hits Duke’s glove.
The first base umpire gives us the safe signal, and the crowd moans in unison.
“That was his last throw he’s allowed if he doesn’t want to get charged with a balk,” Lucy says, gripping my hand tighter.
“He won’t chance it being this close to the title.” I think.
Judd sets himself up again. A grin breaks out over his face, and he nods his head once at Kessler.
“They’re planning something,” Lucy comments.
Judd checks over his shoulder again. The runner on first is taking his lead off of first, inching closer and closer as he watches Judd. Judd turns his head back to the batter and sends a pitch to the plate. The runner takes off, legs and arms pumping wildly to gain speed. The ball makes a loud popping sound as it hits Kessler’s glove. Kessler jumps to his feet and Judd ducks as Kessler sends the ball down the center to Brent. The ball and the runner make it to the base milliseconds within each other and the runner collides with Brent, who’s crouched down to catch the ball and knocks him backwards.
A collective gasp fills the stadium at the impact. Brent holds the ball up, still laying on his back and the umpire holds his fist to the sky indicating and out. Players run onto the field. The noise of the crowd grows to a deafening level, and Lucy and I look at each other before both bursting into tears.
Holy fuck, we did it.
The thought kept replaying in my head through all the interviews and pictures and celebration in the locker room. I was able to see Amelia and my family briefly when they were eventually allowed onto the field, but that was hours ago, and I want nothing more than to go home and see my beautiful fiancée. We haven’t set a date for the wedding yet since we’ve been so focused on getting the house built. And with the library getting the funding it needed, Amelia has been working hard with Gladys and Irene on building the reading program.
I pull into our driveway and am slightly shocked to see the soft glow of a lamp still on in the living room. It’s a little after midnight and while Amelia is usually a night owl lately, she’s been in bed and passed out shortly after eight. Getting out of my Jeep, I jog up the steps and open the front door, where Bruno greets me excitedly.
“Hey bud, where’s your mama?”
Bruno turns and jogs through the living room and down the hall where the master suite is. Kicking off my shoes at the door, I follow him down the hall. When I catch up to him, he’s sitting outside the door of the spare room down the hall from ours. The door is cracked open, and a light is on.
“Is this where your mama is?”
I move into the doorway and push the door the rest of the way open. My breath catches in my chest at the sight in front of me. The once white walls are now painted a soft sage green. There’s a light gray crib on the far wall with a baseball themed mobile above it. Pictures of baby jungle animals with various pieces of baseball equipment are hanging throughout the room. A matching dresser and changing table sit on the opposite wall of the crib.
In the corner next to the window, I spot Amelia in a plush gray rocker, sleeping soundly. My feet move across the space and I’m kneeling at her side in a matter of seconds. My eyes roam over my beautiful, smart, feisty fiancée as questions and elation course through me. Picking up the hand closest to me, I gently kiss the back of it, causing Amelia’s eyes to flutter open.
She stares at me sleepily before her eyes widen and she sits up. “You’re home!” She looks around. “No! I wanted it to be a surprise. I must have fallen asleep,” she cries.
“So, you’re really, it’s not. You’re pregnant?” I finally choke out.
Tears fill her eyes, and a smile breaks out over her face as she nods.
I reach forward and pull her into me, hugging her tight. She sniffles into my chest, and I feel my own tears silently roll down my cheeks. We sit here on the floor, wrapped up in each other, when Bruno’s cold nose bumps my cheeks as he licks my tears away.
A laugh bubbles out of my chest and Amelia pulls back from me. Bruno takes that opportunity to move onto her. She takes his face into her hands and rubs his ears as she looks up at me. “This didn’t go how I had planned.”
I scoot over to her and wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into me. I tip her chin towards me and take her lips with mine. We’re breathless by the time we break apart. Resting my forehead on hers, I whisper, “The best things never do.”