32. Sam
Sam
I wouldn't say I liked the thought of Kelsey working the bar late into the night, serving drunk patrons, and commiserating over the team’s loss tonight.
The loss had been brutal; our starter, Nick Lopes, had left in the top of the seventh with a five-run lead that our closer had allowed our opponents to erase.
Boston fans handle wins and losses equally poorly, with copious amounts of alcohol.
Kelsey texted me when she got home, as I’d asked.
Yes, it put my mind at ease, but it did nothing to alleviate my need to care for her.
I wanted to solve every problem she had, but I knew it was way too early.
Theoretically, once she got the non-profit off the ground, she would work there, but that was months away if we were lucky.
I wouldn’t survive much longer with her closing the bar alone.
At least her impending move home eliminated the need for her to drive Uber.
Being in a car alone with drunks was far more dangerous than being in a public place.
I woke up early on Sunday, trained, and prepared for Monday to have Kelsey and Crew overnight.
The master suite adjoins a small bedroom, initially designed as a nursery, which I currently use as a sitting area.
The bassinet would fit nicely in there. It was currently yet another space I didn’t use or need in my home.
The travel bassinet was on wheels; if Kelsey was uncomfortable with him in another room, she could always wheel him into us.
I had Monica purchase a baby monitor with a camera, just in case.
My mother had warned me that if I didn’t watch out, I’d get attached to the baby. That ship had already sailed. Those two had marched into my life, and I was done. Kelsey could ask me for anything, and the answer would be yes. The beauty was that she’d never ask for a single thing.
I tried to remember the man I was when I got into that Uber a few weeks ago—that man was self-absorbed and overly concerned with baseball records and pleasing his father.
I couldn’t care less about what my father has to say about my life today.
He could critique my playing from the sidelines, but I’d somehow put a mental shield against his onslaught.
I wouldn’t say that I was not concerned with how Kelsey would handle their meeting, but I think I’d adequately prepared her.
And I was no longer afraid to tell him where to go if he acted up in front of her.
God forbid he aimed any of his bullshit at her.
The funny thing was that I started breaking records once I stopped worrying about my stats. Was Kelsey good luck? Maybe not in a cosmic, mystical way, but she was good for me.
I knew my place would intimidate her and, at once, hated the opulence because it would make her uncomfortable.
Still, I wanted to teach her that she deserved every luxury available.
The Stella McCartney dress she had worn for dinner in Minneapolis was noted on Page Six, and thankfully, they had not posted the price tag.
Kelsey knew there was an income gap between us, but she’d hate knowing that that dress could have supported her and Crew for a month.
Did this make me want to spoil her more?
Fuck yes. I would drape her in diamonds if she’d let me.
It had been long since I’d had butterflies before a game.
But this game was less about what happened on the mound and more about what happened once we got home.
The days-long teasing over text had me so keyed up that I almost skipped my pre-game routine.
What I hadn’t missed was a whole battery of STD tests, which were all negative, as expected.
Me to Kelsey: I wanted to talk to you about something before tomorrow night.
Kelsey: This sounds ominous.
Me: No, but I figured it would be important for you to know. I was tested for STDs, and I’m clean.
Kelsey: I was wondering how to ask…
Me: I fully understand that right now, it’s also Crew’s health. I won’t do anything to jeopardize either of you.
Kelsey: I have an IUD. And I was tested when I was pregnant. There was no one during or after.
I hadn’t suspected that there had been anyone in Kelsey’s life during or after pregnancy, but it was a relief to hear her confirm it.
Me: How effective is an IUD?
Kelsey: It’s one of the most effective forms of birth control. It’s 99% effective and isn’t impacted by human error.
Me: Were you on birth control when you got pregnant with Crew?
Kelsey: No. I chalk that up to a failed condom.
Me: Or fate.
Kelsey: Yeah. It’s hard to call him a mistake…or a failed anything…
I couldn’t imagine Kelsey without Crew and didn’t want to, but that didn’t mean I wanted to take a chance with her getting pregnant now.
Me: Would you like me to use a condom?
Kelsey: If you plan on being exclusive with me, then no.
Me: I do.
Kelsey: OK.
She was going to make me ask directly.
Me: Does this mean you plan to be exclusive with me?
Kelsey: My one night with Tom from California aside, I’ve only ever been exclusive. We were close to sleeping together in Minnesota, but that feels different. Yes, it means we’re exclusive.