Page 9 of The Curveball
Griff hops off at the same time and gives me a mock salute. “See ya in the morning, Dixie. Save some strength for the field.”
I jerk my chin at him and move to the squat rack. It’s set up heavy enough that I need to focus on what I’mdoing, so any thoughts of Sage, the twins, money, or tomorrow’s session, are pushed aside. I’m not starting my first season here with an injury.
Just under an hour later, I push my hat down on my head and grab my duffel bag from my cubby.
“Heading out?” I turn and see Levi leaning against the doorway, his arms folded across his chest.
“Yeah.”
“You don’t talk much, do you Dixie?” He’s smiling as he says it, so I know the words aren’t an insult, but I shift on my feet, uncomfortable.
It’s true, I’m an introvert at heart, and I don’t talk a lot. Especially to people I don’t know very well. That night with Sage, looking back on it, I’m shocked at how easy it was to open up and talk with her. Laugh with her.
“Not unless I’ve got something to say.” I shrug. “My younger sister talks enough for the whole family.”
Levi chuckles. “Yeah, my little sister was like that, too.” He pushes off the wall and steps closer. “Listen, I just want to make sure you’re doing alright. You’re kind of a mystery.”
He holds up his hands. “Which is fine, I understand wanting some privacy. I know you’re relatively new to the team and the town, so maybe you’re still finding your place. But it can be hard to settle into a new situation if you never put yourself out there. Trust me, I speak from experience.”
I can tell he’s fishing for details. I don’t blame him. Everyone here has been friendly. Welcoming, even. There have been questions about my life story and my baseball experience, but nothing super intrusive.
Still, something in Levi’s tone has me worried. Do the coaches think I’m a possible liability? If I don’t fit in with the guys and show I can be a strong team player, that I want to be here playing for this team, could they let me go?
Fuck. For the first time in a long while, I don’t have a Plan B. I gave up everything in Manitoba to come out to Vancouver Island and play for the Thunder. To be closer to the twins, who are just on the mainland at university, and to try and grab onto a shred of my former self and play baseball again.
If this fails, I might be moving into my brother Barrett’s dorm room.
I clear my throat. “I hear you, Coach. Thanks for worrying, but everything’s good. I’m just not a big talker, that’s all.”
Levi nods. “Okay. I can respect that. But the guys here are solid. Couldn’t hurt to get to know them a little bit, you know?”
“Got it.”
Apparently satisfied, he finally leaves.
Well, shit.
I guess I could listen to him and try to put myself out there and make friends. But some parts of my past are better left unsaid.
4
SAGE
No.No, this isn’t happening.
I snatch up my phone, turning my back on the incriminating evidence on my bathroom counter, and open a search window.
Chance of multiple false positive pregnancy tests.
I’m a nurse. I’m also not an idiot. I know what the search results are going to say even before I hit Enter. I still have to do it.
Yeah…the chance of three separate tests all being wrong? Basically nonexistent. Which meansI’m pregnant.
I glare down at my stomach. “Thanks for nothing, IUD.” Then my shoulders tense, and I lift a panicked hand to the area. “Shit.”
If I really am pregnant, I have to get my IUD removed. That is, if I keep the pregnancy. Or maybe even if I don’t? Crap, I don’t know. This feels like something I should know, but I definitely can’t remember right now. Then another thought comes to me. What if this actuallyisjust acrazy false positive because of my IUD? Or maybe my IUD moved and is gonna tear a hole in my insides? Oh God. Am I pregnant, or am I being stabbed internally by a contraceptive torture device? Either way, I need to call a clinic and make an appointment to get the damn IUD removed.
And I guess having a doctor confirm if I am, in fact, pregnant would be a good idea. But how could I be? We used a condom! Fine, nothing’s perfect, but still. The chances of this being real…
