Page 13

13

CADE

I spot Dean waving at me from the middle of our chartered plane and make my way back. With my bag slung over my shoulder, the narrow aisle is even more cramped. I pass other teammates who good-naturedly rib me about my Hawaiian board shorts and yellow Vans.

“Dude looks like Big Bird on his way to the islands,” Carlos says.

“Yeah man, look at those yellow kicks,” Spencer jokes.

“I’m a legend,” I say.

They both guffaw. “Legend? Of what?”

“Google me,” I say. I shove my bag in the overhead storage and plop down next to Dean.

“Dude,” he says.

“Hey, bro.”

“You look like you just won the World Series or something. What’s with the shit-eating grin?”

“Long story.” I look around to see if anyone is paying attention to us then say, “Later.” I know once we take off, most of the team will have their earbuds in listening to podcasts, studying our opposition on their iPads or jamming to tunes.

I wait until the flight attendant serves us and we’re at cruising altitude before I bring up my situation. I lean in close to Dean and say, “Big news.”

He stares me down brows raised. “Like what?”

“Remember our server at the fundraiser last week?”

“Yeah, how could I forget?”

“I mentioned we had dated before I got traded. I didn’t keep in touch after I moved to San Diego and honestly never thought I’d see her again. Well, a funny thing happened right before that night. I ran into her at a grocery store of all places.”

“Nice. Did you rekindle in the snack aisle?” he chuckles.

“Har har. No, but she’d knocked over a display and I helped her pick up rolling bottles of spices.”

“How romantic. Let me guess, she was so impressed with your chivalry that she swooned right there in the deli section.”

“Produce, but no. We were both kind of shocked. Then the bomb dropped. She had a kid in her cart I hadn’t noticed until he called her Mama.”

“O-k-a-y I’m tracking… and?”

“The kid is a dead ringer for me and about the right age to coincide with our relationship.”

“Holy shit!”

“Shh, keep it down.”

“Holy shit!” he whispers.

“You already said that.”

“Did she confirm?”

“Yes. How could she not? I mean that boy is a mini-me.”

Dean whistles under his breath. “What happens next?”

“Yesterday I met Georgia and August, that’s his name, at a park. It went better than I could have hoped for. He wasn’t strange with me at all. We haven’t worked out all the details but she wants me to be in his life and I’m all in. I’m already invested.”

“Dude...”

I pull out my phone and show him the pictures I took.

He whistles under his breath. “Holy Hell! There is no way,” he says.

“Right?”

“Geeze Cadester, this is going to change everything for you.”

“I’m ready. I want to be more than financial help. I want to be a real dad. Toss him the ball, take him to T-ball practice.”

“What if he wants to be a ballerina?”

“Then I’ll take him to his dance lessons.”

“Any chance of you and Georgia getting back together?”

“Not according to her. If it were up to me, I’d be all over it. Can’t say I blame her. I cut out on her without even saying goodbye. Pretty bad.”

“Fo sho.”

“Throw me a crumb, bro.”

“Nothing to say, man. You messed up. Cost you big time.”

I blow out a breath. “You can say that again. All I can do is move forward from here. Try and make up for lost time with August.”

Dean looks thoughtful. “He’s still young… what about eighteen months you say?” I nod. “It’ll be natural,” he says.

“I hope so.”

“Now, about the girl, just use your obvious charm and wear her down.”

I grin. “Obvious, huh?”

“I’ve seen you in action. No one can resist.”

I laugh. “Seriously though, Georgia kind of ruined me for anyone else.”

“How so?”

“She’s the real deal. No bullshit. She’s a genuinely nice person. She doesn’t care about material things or status. Couldn’t care less about me being an MLB player. In fact, in her eyes that’s a negative.”

“Makes her the perfect match then. Gotta fight for it.”

“Then we have our families. I’m sure we’re going to make the Hatfields and McCoys look like BFFs.”

His eyes widen. “Your parents? Aww, I don’t believe it. Wendy and Mark are the best.”

I shrug. “For some reason Mom’s never liked Georgia.”

“Oopsy. No bueno.”

“Got that right. I had it out with her last night after I broke the news. She is completely off her rocker when it comes to Georgia. There was no reasoning.”

“What about Mark?”

“Dad’s cool. Maybe he’ll talk some sense into her. Bottom line, Mom can come around and be respectful or miss out on being a part of Auggie’s life. It’s up to her.”

“She’ll come around. I like your mom. Hard for me to imagine her being hardcore.”

“Usually, she’s pretty chill. I don’t understand it. She doesn’t think Georgia is good enough or some stupid shit like that. It’s a side to her I’m not used to.”

“She’s being protective of her baby boy.”

“I suppose, but it’s not a good look.”

“How about Georgia’s family?”

“You know they’ve got to hate me for skipping out. Her mom, Loretta, is a force of nature. So are her sisters. Her brother was always pretty chill but I’m not looking forward to a confrontation with any of them.”

“I feel ya. Don’t know what to tell ya, bro. Looks like I’ll have plenty of entertainment for the next few months.”

“Fuck off.”

Dean laughs. “Just kidding. I’ve got you. Let me know how I can help.”

“I may take you up on that. You have a way with my mom.”

“She does love me,” he brags.

“You’re the one she should be keeping an eye on.”

His eyes go wide in faux shock. “You must be thinking of Max. I’m the son she wishes she’d had.”

I snort. “Yeah right.”

Dean pulls out his iPad and says, “Let’s take a look at our starting pitcher for tonight’s game.”

“He’s a beast.”

“That he is,” Dean says distractedly. He chews on his bottom lip in concentration until he finds what he is looking for. “Here we go.” He angles the laptop so I can see it and hits play. I easily slip into baller mode. We can never take our lead for granted.

Before I know it, we land, exit the plane and pile onto the bus that will take us to the hotel to check in. By request, Dean and I are assigned to share hotel rooms for the rest of the season for away games. We’ll have a couple of hours to relax before heading to the stadium. Every game is important at this point and our rest is as important as our workouts, considering the beating we take on the daily. We’re closing in on the playoffs and we’re within spitting distance of making it to the postseason. My bet is that we’ll be moving on and competing for a spot in the World Series.