13. Chapter Thirteen
I’m making her breakfast again.
Making her favorite breakfast is really a way to soften into telling her that I’m leaving for away games this week. Even if I wanted her to come like the other times, those were all just a few hours away and she had Claire or Joy with her. Claire isn’t coming because she’s too far along, and it’s a lot of plane travel and coordination for the spouses. I wouldn’t get to see her much so it wouldn’t be fair to ask her to come and hang out alone through all the states we have games in.
She bites into the banana chocolate chip pancakes and closes her eyes in appreciation for the flavor. I’m really appreciating the fact that I’ve learned how to cook.
“You know, I’m starting to see that you give me pancakes when you have something bad to tell me. ”
I stop fidgeting, I need to just rip the band-aid off.
“I need to leave this week. We have games on the East Coast, so I’ll be gone for a bit longer than just a weekend. I’ll be leaving in three days.”
Her head snaps up to look at me. “You mean you aren’t demanding that I follow you across the country?”
That cheeky little minx. “I would, but I’m taking your feelings into account here after the last few times you came with me and had to stay alone and bored in a hotel room. This is further away than just a few hours too if something happens with the baby. Claire can’t go and Jolie will be dancing. I wouldn’t want to make you sit with Becky.”
She scrunches her nose at me in response to Becky’s name. “She’s going to be there with you?”
“Oh Skatten Min, you aren’t jealous are you?”
“Me? Absolutely not.” She tries her hardest to look confident but she isn’t.
“If you are worried about Becky, then I’m not doing my job as your man. Becky will be there with her rookie of the week, but not with me or near me. Believe me, I want to be as far away from her as you want to be.”
I walk around the kitchen table and pull her into me. “Do you want me to tell the rookie that she can’t come?”
“He won’t listen to you,” she scoffs .
“You bet your ass he will. He’s my rookie. I teach him all there is to know, and I’ve been telling him all season to avoid Becky, but yet here he is, putting his dick in her.”
“No, it’s fine. I trust you. Plus, I can’t stop anyone from getting his dick wet.” She laughs.
“Who will be staying with you while I’m gone?”
“Staying with me?” She crosses her arms.
“Yes, staying with you.”
I place a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“You realize that I lived alone before you, right?”
“You weren’t pregnant with my liten b?nne then. I need to make sure you two are okay. All the time.”
“What if I promise to send you texts and selfies as proof of life?” She pouts at me, as if I’m going to ever budge on any of her negotiations.
“Or, what if Joy stays with you? Or you and your mom, you could go stay at the new hotel for a spa weekend.” This time she rolls her eyes at me.
“One, that would cost a couple grand to stay there and get a weekend of spa treatments. Two, I. Do. Not. Need. A. Babysitter. Three, it’s proof-of-life-selfies or nothing.”
She crosses her arms and stands firm on her decision.
“You win Skatten Min, proof of life. And hourly texts. And you’ll stay in my bed.”
I add the last part knowing that I’m pushing my luck with her independent streak .
Another roll eye. “Fine. I’ll accept your terms.”
I grin, knowing how hard it was for her to give me something in this negotiation.
For that I’ll reward her.