by KL Donn
He smiles and does his baby run and walk out of the bathroom. When we head out, we stop at Target first. I buy him an umbrella stroller that has a little cover to keep the sun out of his face. I buy some sunscreen for us as well.
When we get to the complex, I pull up to the blocked off parking lot and roll the window down as the security guard approaches. “Good morning. Can I help you?”
“I’m here with Sawyer Bennett. I’m MeMe Eklund.” I pull out my driver’s license and hand it to him.
He speaks into a little mic on his shirt and then nods. “Park to the left and I’ll lead you to your seats.” Once I park, I get out and put my backpack on. I rub some sunscreen on Henry before I get him out of his seat and strap him into the stroller.
I’ll take care of myself after we get settled in our seats, which ends up being a nice spot right up front. I turn to the security guard. “Thank you for your help.”
“My pleasure.”
I take my bag and put it on the arms of the stroller and pull Henry out, sitting him on my lap. I look around at all of the people who have come to watch the Hawks get ready for their season.
Down at the other end, I don’t miss the big group of women who all look like they should be in a Victoria’s Secret catalog. They’re the type of women that I used to see Sawyer with all of the time.
I know I’m not ugly, but I don’t hold a candle to them. Henry reaches up and touches my face, bringing me out of my negative thoughts. The players run out onto the field and everyone starts cheering.
I stand up with Henry in my arms. Tito sees us and gives us a salute and then I see Sawyer run out to his position. He looks around and when he sees us, his face splits into a wide grin. We wave at him and then he walks over to their second baseman, Logan Decker. He turns to us and smiles like a lunatic—again, I wave Henry’s little arm.
They begin playing a scrimmage game. It’s all for fun, but damn these guys are amazing. I’ve never seen Sawyer play like this before. He’s fast and light on his feet. It makes me nervous when he dives for a ball, but he pops right back up.
“MeMe?” I look up and find a man in a navy suit. “I’m Kevin, Sawyer’s agent.”
I hold out my hand to him. “Oh my gosh, it’s so nice to meet you. This is Henry.”
He smiles and touches the top of Henry’s head. “Hey buddy.” Kevin sits down next to me. “How’s our guy playing?”
“He’s so much better than he ever was. Sawyer’s fast and I’m not just talking running, but the second the ball hits his glove, he’s getting rid of it. Don’t get me started on his batting, he’s got so much power in his swing.” I realize I’m bragging. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s great that you know about the game. A lot of the wives and girlfriends don’t pay attention to the game. Sawyer says you guys have known each other since junior high.”
I nod. “We have and I’ve always loved the game. I hope this one wants to play when he gets older.”
We watch the rest of their scrimmage game and when they finish, Sawyer comes running over. He signals for me to come to him. When I get close enough, he grabs my hand, pulling me to him. He kisses me soundly on the lips and then takes Henry from me. “I’ll bring him right back.”
Sawyer carries him over to a group of players who all gather around him. From here, I can see the pride on his face as they all talk to our son.
“He’s a good dad, isn’t he?” Kevin says from beside me.
I smile up at him. “Yeah, he really is. He’s a natural with him.
“Well, I have some stuff to talk to him about that will benefit you both. I’m sure we’ll see each other before I leave.” I nod as he walks away.
I can’t help but wonder what he has to talk to Sawyer about, but it must be big if he came all the way here. I believe he lives in New York. I’m sure Sawyer will talk to me about it later.
My guys come back over and I take Henry from him. “I should be back to the hotel at six. A bunch of the families are meeting for dinner. Do you want to join them?”
“Yes, that sounds great. I love you.” He gives me a wink and then runs toward the rest of the team.
It’s about time for Henry’s nap and he’ll sleep better back at the hotel. I get him buckled in his stroller and on our way out a woman stops us. “Hey there. You’re MeMe, right?”
“Umm… yes, I’m MeMe.”
She holds out her hand. “I’m Joni, Kevin’s assistant.”
I take it. “Hi, it’s nice meeting you. This little guy is Henry.”
Joni squats down in front of him and grabs his hand. “Hey buddy. How are you?”
My son always the charmer smiles at her and then does a little baby babbling. He hands her his Hawks hat. “Is this for me?” she says and then he grabs it from her and hugs it to his chest.
While Joni keeps talking to him, the security guard from earlier comes up to me and stops next to me. “I’ll escort you out.”
“Oh, thank you so much.” I turn back to Henry and see that Joni’s gone. Well, that was weird. No goodbye or nothing.
We head to the parking lot and the man stands there watching as I get Henry loaded up. I thank him for walking us and then climb in.
Back at the hotel, I lay Henry down for his nap and he is so exhausted that he falls asleep almost instantly. I smile as I look down on his sleeping form when something draws my attention.
I run my hand over his head. There’s a spot that looks shorter than the rest. Maybe it’s just the way his hair is growing. I yawn and decide to lay down myself.
I pace back and forth in my hotel room, waiting for Sawyer to get back from his meeting with Kevin again. Last night when he got back from practice, he told me that the New York Rangers want him and they were willing to buy him out of his contract with the Hawks.
I’ll never admit it to Sawyer, but I was glad he turned it down. He said he was always a Hawk and until they got rid of him, that’s who he wanted to play for. Plus, he didn’t want to move us away from our families. He said Kevin was okay with it, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s trying to pressure Sawyer into doing it.
Of course I didn’t tell him I’d move anywhere he wanted if it meant we were together. He was quiet after that and then we went to dinner with some of his teammates and their families.
Everyone was really nice and Henry was doted on by everybody. He fell asleep amongst the chaos on his daddy’s shoulder and the way Sawyer rubbed our boys back while he slept, occasionally kissing his forehead, made me fall more in love with him.
I spent a lot of the night talking to Tito and Wally, who were both hilarious and who had me laughing so hard I snorted twice, but I was having so much fun I didn’t care.
When we got done, we made our way back to the hotel. Sawyer got into the shower with Henry, getting him all washed up. After we get him ready for bed, we lay him down in his crib. He had such a busy day he passed right out.
Sawyer and I snuggled in bed watching movies and making out, which was fun. I did feel bad because he was so hard and he wouldn’t let me help him finish. He did use his fingers on me—it wasn’t the same, but soon he’d be home and then it was game on.
As minutes tick by, my stomach starts to turn. I have a bad feeling that I just can’t shake. Henry comes to me and wants me to hold him. “Come here, baby.” I pick him up, hugging him. “Where’s Daddy?” Looking at my phone, I see he’s been gone for three hours.
I’m hungry and I need to feed Henry so I grab my key card and purse. I carry him downstairs to the little restaurant and we sit at a little table. I order chicken strips and macaroni and cheese for the both of us. While we wait for our food, I decide to try and call him.
My stomach turns when it goes right to voicemail. Our waitress brings our food and I let it cool before Henry starts digging into his food. I’m too nervous to eat, so I just watch him.
“Ma’am?” I look up at the waitress. “Is something wrong with your food?”
I give her a, what I hope, is a reassuring smile. “It’s great. I’m just not very hungry. Could I get a takeaway box?”
“Of course. I’ll be right back.”
After Henry’s done and I wipe him off, pay the bill, and pick him up, we head back upstairs. I stick the keycard in the slot and push the door open.
Sawyer sits on the bed with his bag by his feet. “Where have you been? I was so worried about you.”
He doesn’t say anything or a long time. Sawyer finally looks up at me. “Who’s his real father?”
20
Sawyer
“I don’t understand. What do you mean, who’s his father? You are.” I want to believe her, but the paper in my hand proves otherwise. It hurts to look at her and it kills me to look at Henry.
I stand up and hold the paper up to her face. “This paper right here says I’m not his father.”
The color drains from her face. “Is that a paternity test? When did you get tested? It has to be a mistake. I haven’t been with anyone since you and I wasn’t with anyone for a long time before you. You’re his dad. He looks just like you.”
Henry reaches for me, and I want to hold him, but instead I step back. I don’t miss the look on her face. “How could you lie to me, MeMe? How could you make me believe that I was his dad?”
“You are his dad.” MeMe steps toward me. “Look at him and tell me you don’t believe that he is yours.”
“The test wouldn’t lie, MeMe.” I back away from them. “I’ll pay for the hotel and the rental car. I want you to get your shit out of my apartment—leave my keys on the counter. Kevin’s already stopped child support and I won’t come after you for what I’ve already paid.”
I stand and throw the strap to my duffle bag over my shoulder. “I can’t believe you did this to me.”
I walk out of the room and let the door shut behind me. With each step I take, my heart breaks. A cry that sounds like a wounded animal comes from her room. I freeze and a voice inside me tells me to go back to her, but instead I step in the elevator, letting the doors slide shut.
Down in the lobby, I pay the bill for MeMe and then give the rental car place my credit card. He may not be my son, but he’s an innocent baby. When I step outside, I make my way to Kevin’s rental.
“Sawyer? How did you find out that your girlfriend lied about you being the father of her baby?” The reporter thrusts her microphone in my face. “Do you think learning this information will affect your playing?”
“No comment.” I climb into the car and pull away as another reporter comes to stand next to the one who just spoke to me. “What the fuck is happening?”
I make my way back to the apartment I was sharing with Wally and Tito and let myself inside. The guys are sitting on the couch playing video games when I come in. “What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with MeMe and Henry,” Tito says, looking up at me.
“That’s over.” I walk into my room and throw my bag on the floor. Sitting on the end of my bed, I rest my elbows on my knees and cover my face with my hands.
I hear footsteps. “What do you mean it’s over?”
“I mean it’s fucking over. If I ever see her again, it’ll be too soon.” My chest hurts and my stomach is in knots.
Tito and Wally step into my room. “Come on, man. What could’ve happened since yesterday that would cause you to say that? I know I was skeptical of her at first, but I think MeMe’s great.”
I look at Tito and shake my head. “You were right to be skeptical. It was all a lie—Henry’s not my son.” God, it hurts to even fucking say that.
“What? No, that’s not possible. He looks just like you. Did she tell you he wasn’t?”
“Kevin did a DNA test behind my back and today showed me the report that he’s not mine.”
Wally sits down in the chair in the corner. “Hold the fuck on—let’s back this up a bit. What does Kevin have to do with any of this? Start from the beginning.”
I take a deep breath. “Kevin came to town yesterday for a meeting with me. He said that the Rangers wanted me and were willing to buy out the rest of my contract. They were willing to pay me 1.5 million for the first year and then up to three if I played well. I told him no way—the Hawks are who I plan on playing with until I can’t play anymore.”
I scrub a hand over my head. “I told Kevin I wasn’t going to move MeMe and Henry away from our families. He told me I was making a mistake and that he wanted me to sleep on it.” I sit up. “I didn’t tell him I wasn’t going to actually think about it, my mind was made up, but he was being persistent about it.”
“When I met with him today before I could even tell him that I wouldn’t be leaving, he handed me an envelope. It was DNA results stating that there was no way I was H-Henry’s father.”
I figured Tito would be gloating about it, but instead he looked mad. “I love you, brother. You know I would do anything for you, but I think you’re wrong. I find it convenient that… for one, he had those results handy pretty quick, and secondly that he has made no mention of you getting a test done before now. I don’t know the law, but I’m pretty sure he stole your son’s DNA without either of your permission, and I don’t think that’s right. Fuck, he stole yours too, man.”
I grab the paper out of my back pocket and hand it to Tito. He looks it over closely and then looks at me. “I’ve never had a paternity test done, but I don’t think this is legit.” He holds it up to me. “It looks like something I could put together on my computer myself. There’s a number at the bottom here. I doubt they’re open now, but call them in the morning. Just tell them you want to confirm the results.”
“Yeah, okay.” I take the paper back from him.
They both start to walk out, but Tito stops and turns to me. “If I’m right, I hope you’re able to fix whatever the hell you said to her.”
Once I’m alone, I shut the door behind me and climb into bed. I stare up at the ceiling as thoughts fly through my mind at a rapid pace. If it’s a fake, why would Kevin ever want to ruin my relationship with MeMe? What would he have to gain?
My breath gets caught in my throat because if I’d take the Rangers deal, I’d make him a lot of money. Would that man be vile enough to try and destroy my family so I’d want to split? Did he just destroy my family for money?
Fuck, I should go to her now, but it’s late and Henry’s sleeping. Plus, Kevin and I are going to have a little chat before anything.
I slept like shit last night, tossing and turning and having nightmares. At four in the morning I finally gave up trying to sleep. Luckily I don’t need to show up to practice until later.
I drink the last of my coffee and see that it’s finally time to call this place and see if they even have a DNA test from me.
My hand trembles as I dial the number. An automated message answers and then I push the number for paternity testing.
“Hello this Pam, how can I help today?”
“Ahem… I had a paternity test yesterday, but I’m not sure they’re accurate.” I scrub my free hand over my face.
“Okay, sure. What is the case number and I can look those up for you.” I give it to her and wait on bated breath for the answer. “Thanks for waiting,” she says as she comes back on the line. “It says here that there is a ninety-nine point eight percent chance that the child in question is biologically yours. Can I do anything else for you?”
“N-No. Thank you.” I disconnect and my head is spinning. “How could I have been so stupid?”
I still have Kevin’s rental, so I run downstairs and hop in his car. I need to see her, I need to see him, and I need to grovel, begging her to forgive me for being a complete jackass.
I pull into the parking lot and jump out, racing inside. The elevator takes too long, so I run for the stairs. I reach her floor and run down the hall to her room. The door is open and housekeeping is vacuuming.
“Excuse me. Where are the woman and child that were in this room?”
&nbs
p; She looks at her clipboard. “They checked out last night.”
I nod and then head downstairs. I try calling MeMe, but it goes right to voicemail. “This is MeMe, you know what to do.”
“Fuck, MeMe. I’m so goddamn sorry. Please call me back. I love you, I love Henry, and I should’ve never listened to him. I know I’ve fucked up, but I can fix it if you’ll let me.” I hang up and hang my head.
Before I go fire Kevin, I need to talk to Bob, the team manager. I send him a quick text asking if he’s free. He immediately responds that he’ll meet me in the little restaurant next to his hotel.
The minute I step inside, I find him waving me over from the booth he’s sitting at. I shake his hand when he stands up to greet me. “Thanks for meeting me, Bob. I have a situation.”
“Have a seat and lay it on me.”
I tell him everything, and I mean everything. Bob says nothing just listens to me and by the time I tell him what Kevin pulled, his face is red, which means he’s pissed. “Now I need a new agent and probably a lawyer. The press was at her hotel yesterday asking me about it and I’m sure he leaked it to the press.”
“I’ve got some names of agents. If you need a lawyer, we can get you a name. I know you need to fix things at home, but I need you to stay focused until the end of spring training—can you do that?”
I nod. “Yeah, I can do that. I promise I’ll do that.” What else can I say?
“Good. We only have a few weeks left. Now go fire Kevin, but please don’t do anything to get your ass thrown in jail.”
“I won’t.” I shake his hand and get up.
On my way to see Kevin, all I can think about is that I can’t fix what I broke all the way down here. In order to fix this, I’m going to need everyone’s help. I can only hope that this will all work out for us.
MeMe and Henry deserve their happy ending and I’m the one who is going to give it to them.
21