Page 14 of The Curveball
I wanted to be able to tell my child that I at least tried to find their dad. But the memory of Brady's warm eyes and how heated they became when we were together is something I haven't let myself think too much about in all this. And it lends a different kind of urgency to my desire to find him.
I don't just want to be able to tell my child about their dad. I want to tell their dad he's having a child.
“Okay, so how are we going to handle this? We know who he is now, but it’s not like phone books exist anymore. I guess now that we have a name, I can try internet sleuthing again.”
I shake my head. “He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to have a big online presence.”
“Sage, honey, you spent what, maybe twelve hours with him, and most of those you were fucking. You really think you know him well enough to know how he feels about social media?”
She’s got a point, but I can’t shake it, this instinct that Brady’s too private of a person for that.
“Alright, well.” Fiona takes the newspaper from me and scans the article. “It says their home opener is on Sunday, but tickets are sold out. Hmm, I wonder if we could still get seats if we just show up.”
“No, I don’t want to confront him before a big gamelike that. I’ll just go to the stadium Monday morning and ask around.”
Fiona looks at me skeptically. “You really think they’re just going to hand out the contact info for one of their players? You need a better plan than that.”
I tear at the chocolate croissant on the plate in front of me. “I’ll figure it out. Maybe I can leave him a note.”
“A note. What will it say?Hey Brady, long time no see, I’m pregnant with your baby?”
I throw the piece of croissant in my hand at her, and somehow she catches it in her mouth.
“I said, I’ll figure it out.”
And I will. I have to. For my baby’s sake.
Forhisbaby’s sake.
6
BRADY
Despite the factthat I just dropped the twins off at the ferry terminal so they can be back on the mainland in time for their classes later today, my phone is already blowing up with messages in our group chat.
It’s all my sister Blair, sending articles and photos about the home opener game for the Thunder that they came over to the island to watch. How she’s finding so much content about our team is baffling to me; it’s not like we’re anywhere close to the major leagues. But she’s scary when it comes to what she can find on the internet.
It was great to see them and to show them my part of Vancouver Island. We all agree we’re loving the West Coast a hell of a lot more than Manitoba, and honestly, the fresh start has been good for us.
But I’d only just gotten used to how quiet my apartment was when they then came to stay. And now, after less than forty-eight hours of the chaos that comes with three adults sharing a small space, I know it’s going to be hard to adjust back to the silence.
I pull into the parking lot of the big grocery store in Westport, the largest city between Cedar Creek and the ferry terminal, mentally reviewing what I need to restock after sending the twins home with bags full of snacks and other things they’ll need. To say nothing of the items they just helped themselves to.
Pretty sure Barrett stole my razor refills, and I know I saw a tube of toothpaste sticking out of Blair’s backpack.
I don’t mind. Even if I hadn’t exactly planned on a grocery run today.
The store isn’t all that busy, with it being midmorning on a Monday, so I make my way around quickly enough.
In the health food aisle, I stare at the shelf of protein bars in front of me, overwhelmed with a choice of flavours, all of which will likely taste the same—like chemical cardboard.
I guess it doesn’t really matter whether I get chocolate peanut butter or cookies and cream.
I just wish I was choosing flavours of ice cream, not protein bars. Six months ago, I would’ve tossed both frozen treats into the cart and not looked back.
But after so many years not playing ball in any sort of professional way, getting back to and maintaining the level of fitness I want so I can play my best all season means sacrifices must be made.
Truthfully, I like having the sense of purpose. The commitment to the team and to myself. It’s been a long time since I had something to focus on other than the twins.
