Page 125 of Taking the Pitch
Judd sets up again and checks over his shoulder at the runner on first who’s taken a big lead off the base. Judd fakes a throw to the batter and spins to throw to Duke. The crowd grows silent as the runner slides back into the bag, touching it right as the ball hits Duke’s glove.
The first base umpire gives us the safe signal, and the crowd moans in unison.
“That was his last throw he’s allowed if he doesn’t want to get charged with a balk,” Lucy says, gripping my hand tighter.
“He won’t chance it being this close to the title.” I think.
Judd sets himself up again. A grin breaks out over his face, and he nods his head once at Kessler.
“They’re planning something,” Lucy comments.
Judd checks over his shoulder again. The runner on first is taking his lead off of first, inching closer and closer as he watches Judd. Judd turns his head back to the batter and sends a pitch to the plate. The runner takes off, legs and arms pumping wildly to gain speed. The ball makes a loud popping sound as it hits Kessler’s glove. Kessler jumps to his feet and Judd ducks as Kessler sends the ball down the center to Brent. The ball and the runner make it to the base milliseconds within each other and the runner collides with Brent, who’s crouched down to catch the ball and knocks him backwards.
A collective gasp fills the stadium at the impact. Brent holds the ball up, still laying on his back and the umpire holds his fist to the sky indicating and out. Players run onto the field. The noise of the crowd grows to a deafening level, and Lucy and I look at each other before both bursting into tears.
Holy fuck, we did it.
The thought kept replaying in my head through all the interviews and pictures and celebration in the locker room. I was able to see Amelia and my family briefly when they were eventually allowed onto the field, but that was hours ago, and I want nothing more than to go home and see my beautiful fiancée. We haven’t set a date for the wedding yet since we’ve been so focused on getting the house built. And with the library getting the funding it needed, Amelia has been working hard with Gladys and Irene on building the reading program.
I pull into our driveway and am slightly shocked to see the soft glow of a lamp still on in the living room. It’s a little after midnight and while Amelia is usually a night owl lately, she’s been in bed and passed out shortly after eight. Getting out of my Jeep, I jog up the steps and open the front door, where Bruno greets me excitedly.
“Hey bud, where’s your mama?”
Bruno turns and jogs through the living room and down the hall where the master suite is. Kicking off my shoes at the door, I follow him down the hall. When I catch up to him, he’s sitting outside the door of the spare room down the hall from ours. The door is cracked open, and a light is on.
“Is this where your mama is?”
I move into the doorway and push the door the rest of the way open. My breath catches in my chest at the sight in front of me. The once white walls are now painted a soft sage green. There’s a light gray crib on the far wall with a baseball themed mobile above it. Pictures of baby jungle animals with various pieces of baseball equipment are hanging throughout the room. A matching dresser and changing table sit on the opposite wall of the crib.
In the corner next to the window, I spot Amelia in a plush gray rocker, sleeping soundly. My feet move across the space and I’m kneeling at her side in a matter of seconds. My eyes roamover my beautiful, smart, feisty fiancée as questions and elation course through me. Picking up the hand closest to me, I gently kiss the back of it, causing Amelia’s eyes to flutter open.
She stares at me sleepily before her eyes widen and she sits up. “You’re home!” She looks around. “No! I wanted it to be a surprise. I must have fallen asleep,” she cries.
“So, you’re really, it’s not. You’re pregnant?” I finally choke out.
Tears fill her eyes, and a smile breaks out over her face as she nods.
I reach forward and pull her into me, hugging her tight. She sniffles into my chest, and I feel my own tears silently roll down my cheeks. We sit here on the floor, wrapped up in each other, when Bruno’s cold nose bumps my cheeks as he licks my tears away.
A laugh bubbles out of my chest and Amelia pulls back from me. Bruno takes that opportunity to move onto her. She takes his face into her hands and rubs his ears as she looks up at me. “This didn’t go how I had planned.”
I scoot over to her and wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into me. I tip her chin towards me and take her lips with mine. We’re breathless by the time we break apart. Resting my forehead on hers, I whisper, “The best things never do.”
