Epilogue
Callie
Five months later
The season starts next week, so we’re at Peeper’s Alley, celebrating Decker and Foster’s birthday, which is weird since they don’t really talk to each other. Nonetheless, we forced them to be here and ordered them each their own cake.
As I look around the room, I want to give myself a pat on the back.
Hayes has his arms around Leighton’s waist, his head nuzzled into her neck, whispering things I’m sure I don’t want to hear. Both of them are clueless as to just how okay I was with them getting together.
Of course I want the credit for all my hard work, but it’s better if they think it’s fate or destiny or whatever. They’re believers that there’s one person out there for you, and they found each other. Fools if you ask me, but seeing them together, I can almost believe in kismet.
They really thought I had no idea how they’ve pined for one another for years, but I appreciate that they respected me enough not to pursue one another.
That’s why when I saw them together the day of Sky’s funeral, I knew it was time.
Leighton needed Hayes, and Hayes needed to know there was more to life than baseball.
And it worked out beautifully if I do say so myself.
“What are you smiling about?” Lake asks me, going through my makeup in my purse and putting on my lipstick.
“That they have no idea. They’re only here because of me, you… well, us.”
She smiles and looks at Hayes and Leighton, who are admiring Monroe playing pinball with Decker. Lincoln is competing at darts with Foster and Easton.
Lake is a natural. I barely had to tell her what to say to Leighton that day to get her to finally realize she was pushing away the man she loved because of what happened to her when she was younger.
“Are you going to tell them?” Lake asks.
“Nah, let them think they did it all themselves. But jeez, are they stubborn.”
“Tell me about it, I live with them.” She rolls her eyes the way only a girl on the verge of teenager-dom can.
We both laugh, catching Leighton’s attention. She tilts her head at us. By the end of this party, I need to tell her about the predicament I’ve found myself in, but that can wait until later.
“Just always remember to use reverse psychology with Hayes. You tell him he can’t do something, and he’ll see it as a challenge.” I shrug. “He’s been that way since we were kids.”
Lake puckers her lips and stares at them in my compact mirror. “Figured that out already. Told him he wasn’t strong enough to take the garbage out the other day, and he proved me wrong by doing my chore for me.” She grins at her reflection.
“Smart girl.”
“Hey, Callie, why don’t you cool it on the makeup?” Hayes hollers across the room.
“Leave us alone. We’re talking about boys.” I elbow Lake. “Watch this.”
His arms unwind from Leighton, and he takes a step in our direction, but she tugs him back. “Boys are dumb, and they smell,” he calls.
The whole room laughs.
“Speak for yourself,” Easton says.
Ruby comes into the back room. “Chocolate milks.” She puts them rather forcefully on the table.
Monroe slides off the stool and runs over to Ruby, stopping right in front of her. “Ruby, do you have bananas?”
I glance at Leighton. “I thought she was done with the National Day thing?”
She and Hayes laugh. “She’s on to food days now. Today is banana day.”
Ruby ruffles Monroe’s brown hair. “No, but I’ll send out one of the regulars to get you one.”
Leighton steps up, but Hayes goes along with her like a Velcro puppet on her back. “Ruby, that’s not necessary. I’ll stop on the way home.”
“Please, they need the exercise.” She leaves the room.
I lean back in my chair. “Curious minds, when you two start procreating, are you incorporating the whole name thing?”
Decker, Easton, and Foster all turn toward them.
“Are you pregnant?” Easton asks, eyes wide.
“No. She’s talking about my family and their obsession with family names having a theme.” Leighton meets my gaze. “And no, that’s ending with me.”
“Like what?” Decker asks. “You know in Tedi’s family, all the kids’ names start with Ts.”
“That’s like Leighton’s family. They’re all Ls. Lily, Lenny, and Leighton.” I count them off on my fingers.
Hayes turns Leighton around. “I never knew that. You never said anything.”
“It’s never come up,” Leighton says and turns back toward the group. “My mom and her sister are Lily and Iris. Flowers. We’re the Ls. And Skylar continued it with these three.”
Leighton smiles at the kids as if she’s remembering Sky fondly. I know it’s been a hard road, but she’s doing the hard work to heal, so I’m proud of her.
“How do Lake, Lincoln, and Monroe go together?” Decker asks, as though he’s trying to work out a puzzle.
“Streets. Lake Shore, Lincoln, and Monroe,” Easton guesses, thinking he’s right.
I make a buzzer sound. “Wrong.”
He winks at me, and I shake my head and smile. He’s always flirting.
“It’s actually Lake for Lake Michigan,” Leighton says. “Lincoln for Lincoln Park, and Monroe for Monroe Harbor.”
“Damn,” Foster says, rocking back his head. “You’re screwed, Carlisle. How are you going to come up with something?”
“The biggest struggle will be that the name has to match the theme. So, they have to find a fourth Chicago landmark,” I add to put some fuel on the fire.
“No, because we’re not doing that.” Leighton squares her gaze on Hayes, but I can tell it’s game over.
“I bet you guys can’t figure one out.” I throw out one more challenge for my brother to grab onto. It’s just too much fun.
Hayes is biting his lip and thinking.
Leighton slaps his stomach. “We’re not doing that.”
“They have to match. We can’t have Lake, Lincoln, Monroe, and Phil.” He looks at her imploringly.
“First of all, I’m not naming our baby Phil.”
The two of them continue to go at it, and Lake looks at me. I like having her as my little accomplice.
The Davis brothers blow out their candles, and we have cake. I can’t help but wonder what they each wished for. I’m sure whatever it was, they were the opposite of one another.
As the night dwindles down, Monroe falls asleep, draped across Hayes as he and Decker are still trying to come up with names for a baby that hasn’t even been conceived yet.
All while… my hand falls to my stomach, but I push the thought out of my head.
It’s time. I’ve delayed this long enough.
Easton and Lake are in a competition to see who can get the highest score in pinball. Foster is watching the Falcons game with Lincoln, explaining hockey to him. I’ll give it to Foster, Lincoln actually looks interested.
I pull out my phone and send a text to Leighton to meet me out front.
“I’ll be back,” I say, sliding my phone in my back pocket and leaving the back room. Maybe I could’ve told Leighton to meet me in the bathroom, but I don’t want to chance anyone overhearing our conversation.
Thankfully, the Falcons are away, so the bar is less crowded than when they’re playing at home. It’s just the two of us when Leighton joins me in front of the building.
“What’s this about?” Leighton asks, walking over to me and looking at herself in the reflection of the glass. “I’m looking old. I think the stress of motherhood is showing.”
“You’re beautiful. Listen.”
She pulls her skin up around her eyes and frowns when she lets go.
“Leighton!”
Her head rocks back. “What?” Turning away from the glass, she looks at me with concern.
Okay, now’s the moment. You can do this.
“I’m pregnant.”
Her mouth drops open, and she stares at me for a beat before she recovers. “What? When? By whom?”
Only Leighton can come up with one question after the other, even when she’s surprised.
“I took a test this morning.”
“Oh my god. Callie, who is the dad?”
I bite my lip because I really want to tell her. I want to give her the entire story, but he deserves to know first. So, I tell her as much as I can, as complicated as the situation is, without saying exactly who. “It’s one of the men in there.”
She frowns. “One of the old guys at the bar?”
I stare at her, and she laughs.
“Right.” She laughs again. “My excuse is that I’m going on, like, two hours of sleep.” She shakes her head. “Just to clarify, you mean the baby’s father”—she points at my stomach—“is either Decker, Foster, or Easton?”
I nod.
And it’s written all over her face.
This is complicated, and my brother is going to lose his shit.
Before either of us can say anything else, the door to the bar swings open and all the guys come out, kids in tow.
“What are you guys doing out here?” Hayes asks. He steps over and wraps his arm around Leighton’s shoulders.
“Just getting some fresh air.” I give my brother a smile I hope doesn’t look forced.
He nods and turns his attention to Leighton. “The kids wanted to go to Lincoln Park Zoo, and I said I’d have to check with you. These morons have decided to tag along.” He thumbs over to where Easton, Decker, and Foster are all crowded around the gate that leads to the entrance of their building.
“Haymaker, come check this out,” Easton calls out.
“Sure, we can probably squeeze a couple hours in before it closes,” Leighton says, then looks over at me. “You want to join us?”
I glance over at the three guys as Hayes makes his way over. “I think I’m just going to head home. It feels weird being around him when he doesn’t know yet.” I add the last part in a low voice so only she can hear.
Leighton nods.
Monroe and Lincoln both rush over to us and take us by the hand, dragging us toward the guys.
“What is going on?” Leighton asks, half laughing.
“Come look,” is all Lincoln says.
Hayes is holding a cardboard sign, and when we reach him, he turns around to show us.
The Barn
The Stable
The Paddock
The Dugout
“What do you ladies think?” Easton points to the sign in Hayes’s hands.
“Does it matter what we think?” I ask.
“Of course it does,” Decker says, giving me a soft smile that I return.
“Who gives a shit what they call it. Fine. It’s the Dugout. Done,” Foster says, watching me.
The man irritates me half the time, but I can’t disagree with him, so I shrug. “Agreed.”
Hayes meets Leighton’s gaze. “What about you?”
She smiles and nods. “I think this place will officially be known as The Dugout from here on.”
“Perfect.” Hayes leans in to give Leighton a kiss which makes all three kids groan.
It is perfect, just like my brother and my best friend’s lives. It makes me wish that mine wasn’t such a mess.