Page 72

Sam

K nowing her history with Kelsey, it was hard for me to give Kendra the benefit of the doubt, but not everyone grew up in a family in the public eye.

Josie and I had a long list of former friends who were never, in reality, our friends.

When my parents divorced, my best friend Jamie’s mother took me under her wing.

She listened intently and then sold every detail to the press.

It took my parents several months to realize who was leaking the story, but when we figured it out, it destroyed my trust in everyone outside my family.

With this betrayal coming from within Kelsey’s circle, that violation hit hard.

Anne sent us a confirmation with a time and a link.

She assured us that she would be on the call and would stop it if anything made her uneasy.

Crew had woken from his nap, and Kelsey had taken some time to try to relax.

She changed into a bathing suit and got Crew into his swim diaper and shorts.

Kelsey tossed me my suit while I searched the internet, trying to learn as much as possible about the Colorado Blizzards and Tom Campbell.

I liked hockey and watched it during the off-season, but I needed to learn more about the teams and players.

“Come on, it’s Crew’s first swim, don’t miss it.”

“OK, but we only have an hour,” I reminded her.

“No, the call is Mountain Daylight Time, not Central. We’ve got two hours to kill, and my anxiety can’t handle sitting around and worrying about it. Crew has been cooped up all morning driving here. Let’s bring him for a swim in this award-winning pool.”

I changed quickly in the cabana, finding a bin with a baby float that Crew could use.

Kelsey sat on the side of the pool, waiting for me before bringing Crew into the water.

Jake stood off to the side with his phone ready to capture the video of Crew’s first swim, holding Kelsey’s phone as she Facetimed with her parents so they could watch, too.

“Here, let me hold him while you get in the water. I’ll pass him to you once you’re in there,” I said, reaching for the baby. I held him while Kelsey slipped in the water, acclimating to the temperature.

“Well, that wasn’t as cold as I expected.”

“That’s Texas for you. I can swim most of the year down here,” Jake said.

“I’m still not moving to Texas. I like my seasons,” Kelsey said, reaching for Crew as I walked down the steps into the pool.

Crew’s immediate reaction was shock, but quickly looked to both of us for reassurance.

Once he realized he was safe, he started to kick his legs and splash around.

Kelsey focused her attention on her phone, still held by Jake, and talked to her parents for another minute before they ended the call.

Crew giggled as we pulled him around in the float .

“I can’t imagine missing times like these.”

“What do you mean?” Kelsey asked.

“I feel like I’ve already missed so much. He’s almost five months old, and I’ve been around for less than half his life. I don’t want to miss any more of it.”

Kelsey smiled shyly at me, “I don’t want you to miss any more of it either.”

“But I also can’t take that away from his father. I can’t stand in his way if he wants a relationship with Crew.”

“Me neither,” Kelsey said.

Jake had quietly stopped recording and had gone inside to greet Josie. As always, my sister shared way too much information, and I now knew that she was ovulating and not to disturb them if the bedroom door was closed.

Crew had started to shiver, so Kelsey and I got out of the pool and brought him to rinse off in the outdoor shower.

“A set-up like this might be worth living in the suburbs,” I said as Kelsey nodded in agreement.

“It’s nice, but a house this size needs someone to manage it. I would never want something this big. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, and I love it for Jake and Josie. But not for me.”

We changed, and Kelsey fed Crew as we watched the clock restlessly. I set up my laptop in the kitchen, and while I didn’t specifically ask Jake and Josie for privacy, they went out for dinner, leaving us alone to make the call.

We logged in and waited for Anne to start the Zoom call at the planned time. Crew sat on Kelsey’s lap, playing with his favorite tag blanket. The screen filled with Anne and a middle-aged man I suspected was Tom’s agent.

“I asked Tom if I could come on in advance to set the tone of the meeting. I’m Rick Parenteau, his agent.

I’m sure you realize that this is a shock to him, and as a pro ball player, you also recognize the pressures on a rookie.

I’m not an attorney, but I represent the kid’s career, and our main request is that this is handled as quietly as possible.

Yes, he remembers you, Kelsey. He doesn’t deny what you assert, but negotiations should be on hold pending the paternity test. Tom has an appointment tomorrow; I assume you have also made an appointment? ”

“I have,” Kelsey answered nervously.

“OK. Anne, can you let Tom into the call?”

Shit, the man on the other side of the screen looked like he’d been put through the wringer.

He nervously ran his hands through his hair as his eyes narrowed on Crew.

He studied him quietly, eyes wet and red-rimmed.

My eyes were also watering as I watched the interaction and recognition in his eyes.

He took a deep breath before speaking, “Before I got on this call, I asked my mother for some baby pictures of me. I figured that it would be easier to compare us at similar ages. But I don’t need a test to prove he’s my son.”

I’d never known that relief could also break your heart. My images of a future with just the three of us disappeared and were replaced by Crew, who was potentially going to be torn between two fathers.

“Why didn’t you try to contact me before?” He asked, his lip trembling, on the verge of tears.

With that, the first tears escaped Kelsey’s eyes and became a steady stream down her cheeks. “Do you know how many Toms there are in California?”

Tom’s voice shook as he said, “My father was a deadbeat, but I’m not. The timing couldn’t be worse, and I can’t begin to understand how this will work. But Rick mentioned you had a series in town in two weeks. Can I meet him in person then?” His voice cracked with the question.

Kelsey nodded, “Of course.”

Before we ended the call, Kelsey had agreed to send him access to her online photo album. Did it go well? Yeah. But fuck, if it didn’t scare the shit out of me.