Page 65 of Spectacular Things

Hammer It Home

In July, a much-needed breeze rolls through the open windows while Oliver and Mia sit on the pink floral couch with a hamper full of freshly laundered onesies wedged between them.

“Explain to me why we’re washing brand-new baby clothes?” Oliver asks, attempting to fold tiny red pajamas that look too small for a chipmunk.

“To get rid of any chemicals from the manufacturer,” Mia says matter-of-factly, as she hears her mom chuckle at the notion. Not all chemicals are bad, Liz says in her ear. I raised you on bleach and Cheez-Its and look at you now!

“I wonder if Teague has made her decision yet,” Oliver says.

This time tomorrow, the U.S. Women’s National Team will play in their first Olympic match, the day before the Opening Ceremonies.

In their week of practice leading up to the Olympics—and really, all year—Cricket and Sloane have been duking it out for the starting spot.

“Cricket’s got this,” Mia says knowingly.

“She said she’s been outperforming Sloane all week.

” In her calls and texts home, Cricket sounds calm and confident, like she not only knows that she’s giving her best but that she also believes her best is good enough to earn the start.

“She’s got a winner’s mentality,” Mia says before bolting upright.

“Oh my God! The baby just kicked! Literally right after I said winner’s mentality —do you think she’s already competitive? ”

“How could she not be?” Oliver laughs, before an obvious reality hits him for the first time.

“You know, Cricket and the baby are making their debuts the same summer,” he says, shaking his head at the sneaky passage of time, the unexpected path of his life that took him from South Carolina and landed him here.

He still remembers the first time he met Cricket, a mouthy nine-year-old at the Stallions tryout, and now she’s at the Olympics, potentially starting.

It’s overwhelming enough to make him tear up, which has been happening more often recently, as if Mia’s pregnancy hormones are somehow contagious.

“You okay?” Mia asks, putting her palm to his cheek.

“I’m just really proud of her,” he says, leaning over to kiss Mia’s bare shoulder. “That probably sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.”

“That’s what this family is,” Mia agrees. She illustrates her point by holding up a teeny-tiny U.S. Soccer onesie Cricket sent them just last week. “Ridiculous but true.”