by Gina Drayer
“I’m going to be fine. She didn’t need to make the trip. I’ll make sure she gets a good night’s sleep and send her back to you in the morning.”
“That’s a good one.” Tony laughed, and I imagined the big man shaking his head. “You’ve obviously never seen Emily in action when she’s really focused on something. She’s a force of nature. There’s no stopping her. And right now, my friend, you’re her primary focus.”
“Thanks for the heads up.”
A little over an hour later, that hurricane of light brown curls came bursting through my hospital room door.
“No one will tell me anything,” she announced. “I spent the last two hours on the plane reading up on ACL tears. Surgery is a good option, but it’s not your only one. Has Doctor Pete seen you yet? What does he want you to do?”
Despite the pain and stress from my injury, the sight of her made me smile. She looked tired and a little harried. I wanted to send her to my place for a nap, but I recognized that determined set to her jaw. She wasn’t going anywhere until she got answers.
“Hello, sweetheart. I’ve missed you, too.”
She strolled over and kissed me. Her eyes drifted to the brace, and I saw the fear. I slipped my hand in hers and squeezed.
“It will be okay. I’m sorry you came all this way. They’ve already released me. I was just waiting for you. I called Ben and he told me your flight landed about forty minutes ago. You made good time.”
“They’ve released you?” She sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding my hand. “What about the surgery?”
“I’m flying back to New York tomorrow to follow up with Doctor Pete. He thinks it’s just a partial tear, but even if he suggests surgery, I have to wait a week or two for the swelling to go down. I’m sorry you wasted all this time.”
“It wasn’t a waste. I had to come. I couldn’t let you sit here all by yourself.”
“The guys have been keeping me company, but I’m glad you’re here,” I said and kissed her forehead. “And now I’m ready to go home.”
“That’s something I can help you with.”
She hopped off the bed and flagged down a nurse to bring in the obligatory exit wheelchair. As the nurse got me situated in the chair, Emily went to get my plastic bag of belongings. Halfway across the room she stopped and put her hand on her side.
“What’s wrong,” I said, trying to get out of the chair and get to her. “Is the baby okay? Should you have been flying? Did you call your doctor first?”
“I’m fine. The baby has been really active today. Most of the time, it’s just a little flutter, but occasionally she hits the wrong spot.”
She walked back over to the chair and pressed my hand to her side. “I don’t think you can feel it yet.”
“How far along are you?” the nurse asked.
“Almost nineteen weeks,” she said, adjusting my hand to another spot.
The nurse patted my shoulder. “Give it another couple of weeks, and you should be able to feel something.”
I rubbed the hard ball of her abdomen. The stress of the day hit me like a hammer in my gut. I wouldn’t know for weeks if I was going to be out for the whole season or just most of it. And having Emily here by my side visibly pregnant, drove home the fact that I had more to lose than just my job.
Baseball was all I knew how to do. Without it, I had nothing to offer her or our child. I needed to do everything I could to get back on the field. I had a family counting on me now.
New York Press
New York’s Third Baseman to Start the Season on the DL List
Manager Steven Cole announced that third baseman Cooper Reynolds will start the season on the disabled list.
“With an injury like this, Cooper needs time to recover,” Cole said, adding that Reynolds will be held out of the lineup for “a month, at least.”
Reynolds, 27, suffered the injury during a spring training exhibition game. He was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain.
20
Cooper
“Five weeks isn’t that bad,” Emily said, sliding into the back of the car.
We were just leaving Doctor Pete’s office, and the news wasn’t as bad as we’d expected. Thankfully, my ACL was still intact, but the medial collateral ligament, the one that ran along the side of my knee, connecting the femur to the tibia had a grade two sprain. The treatment was rest, a brace, and some physical therapy.
But it also meant I’d be on the disabled list for at least thirty-three games—if everything went well. That was twenty percent of the regular season.
“It could be worse,” I said.
I had to keep reminding myself that. I would be able to keep playing, but I realized my days were numbered. Twenty-seven was young in most professions, but in baseball, I was already considered a seasoned player. I had maybe ten years—if my knee recovered fully. In some respects it felt like a lifetime away; in others, it seemed right around the corner.
She slid her hand into mine and squeezed. “You’re going to get through this,” she said. “We’re going to get through this together.”
I nodded and squeezed back. I wanted to believe her, but I wasn’t so sure anymore.
As we drove through the city, I half-listened as Emily continued to talk about her day and remind me of various doctor’s appointments coming up—both hers and mine.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Marie wants us to stop by for dinner tonight. She’s worried I’m not eating. Do you think you’ll be up for that?”
The driver had just pulled up outside the Manhattan offices of my agent. I grabbed my crutches and nodded. “Sure. I’ll swing by and pick you up after my meeting with Manny.”
“Tell Manny, hello for me,” Emily said and wrinkled her nose. My agent wasn’t one of her favorite people, but he was responsible for bringing us together, so she reluctantly tolerated his gruff ways.
I kissed that cute nose and opened the door. “Love you.”
“Five weeks isn’t great,” Manny said. “You’re contract says you have to play two-thirds of the regular season games, and while you’ll still be able to do that, the pricks in management that wanted you gone smell blood in the water.”
“Why did they offer me a two-year contract if they wanted me gone? Why not just let me sign with another team.”
Manny tapped his unlit cigar on the polished mahogany of his desk and shook his head. “No matter how much trouble you got into, New York still loves you, and you’re a damn fine player. Everything is going to depend on how that rookie does in your position. Remember, baseball is a lot like marriage. You love the one you’re with, but the second another woman catches your eye, you start thinking that maybe the grass is greener on the other side.”
“God, Manny. You do realize that’s why you’ve been married four times, right? Don’t ever give me dating advice.”
“Criticize me if you want. I’m just telling you like it is. Sometimes the grass was greener,” he said with a shrug. “And that’s exactly what they are counting on. If public opinion changes, I won’t be able to stop them from trading you.”
Out of all the possible outcomes of my injury, getting traded had to be the worst. Emily wasn’t about to pick up and leave just to follow me to some other city. I was already having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to get her to move in with me while we lived in the same city. There was no way she’d marry me if I had to move to the other side of the country.
“I’ve got a baby on the way. I have to be close by. Is there anything you can do?”
“I’ll put out some feelers, see who’s looking. Unfortunately, the Yankees aren’t looking right now, but Baltimore is rebuilding their team this year. Maybe Philly? I heard they were shopping around for a center fielder. There’s also Boston or Washington. I can try to set up a deal. Get in front of this.”
I stood up and grabbed my crutches. “Do it. If they want to trade me, I need it to be someplace close.”
Having to move to anothe
r city would suck. I didn’t want to play for any of those other teams, but at least they weren’t California or Canada. I couldn’t handle a six-hour flight every time I wanted to visit my family.
I’d just gotten into the car when my phone buzzed.
Emily: How’d the meeting go?
It fucking sucked. I’m probably getting traded. I don’t know how I’m ever going to convince you to marry me. And my fucking leg hurts.
But I couldn’t say any of that. There was enough going on in our life right now. I didn’t really know anything, so there was no need to worry her.
Cooper: It went great. See you in a bit.
21
Emily
The warm morning sun woke me Sunday morning to an empty bed. I could hear the shower running in the other room and frowned. Cooper usually did his morning exercises before taking a shower.
I tossed a glance over my shoulder at the clock. It was almost ten. For as long as I could remember, I was an early riser, but evidently, this baby wasn’t. I stretched and thought about getting out of bed, but the warm, plush blankets were too inviting. I pulled them up to my chin, surrounding myself with Cooper’s spicy scent and closed my eyes.
These last few weeks were exactly what we needed before the baby came. I finally felt connected to him on a deeper level. I’d been practically living at his place since he couldn’t handle my stairs. We spent a lot of time talking. We planned for the baby and got the nursery set up in his spare bedroom. I even agreed to start interviewing nannies. He came by the shelter and worked with the kids.
And somewhere in all of that, we moved from two people who just happened to be having a baby together to a real couple.
He’d also been hyper-focused on his recovery. He spent his days either at physical therapy or at the clubhouse going over strategies and plays. He attended every home game and watched every away game on the big screen. He did every exercise and followed every instruction the physical therapist gave him. By the tenth day of his therapy, he was completely off the crutches. By next week, he’d be cleared to start jogging again.
I would have chalked up his manic drive to get back on the field to his love of the game, or even simple boredom, but there was something else going on. Any time I brought up the team, he changed the subject. He’d gotten several calls from Manny and went to see his agent a few times. Whatever was bothering him, I wanted him to share it with me.
“I hope I didn’t wake you?”
His warm molasses voice washed over me, and I smiled without opening my eyes. “I’m not sure a hydrogen bomb would have woken me this morning.”
“You did get quite the workout last night,” he said, trailing a finger along my collarbone. “I have to say, I’m really enjoying this part of your pregnancy.”
We’d never had a problem connecting physically, but he was right, the last two weeks had been incredible. I looked up and sighed, taking time to enjoy the view.
“I am, too.”
“Do you feel up for an encore?” he asked, crawling back into the bed.
My body was already starting to warm up when the phone rang. It was my phone, and if I was getting a call on my day off, that usually meant there was a problem.
“Hold that thought,” I said and rolled over to grab the phone. “Hello.”
“I’m sorry to call on your day off, but I need to know if you can come in,” Tony said on the other end of the line. He sounded a little frantic. That was unusual for the normally collected man.
“I can be there in about an hour.” I got out of bed and grabbed a shirt. I mouthed the words I have to leave to Cooper. “What’s going on?”
“A pipe burst upstairs at my house and water is pouring into the kitchen. Lisa tried to turn off the water, but the shut-off valve snapped. I have to get home. There are several volunteers at the center, but I need someone who can write a check to be there when our food guy arrives at noon.”
“Go. Deal with your plumbing. I’m on my way.”
I hung up and tossed the phone onto the bed. “I’m sorry. I know we were going to have a lazy day in bed, but I need to go in.”
“How’s the search for an administrator?” he asked, handing me my hairbrush as I tried to pull back my wild hair into a ponytail.
“We still haven’t found the right person. I’m going to call Joni next week and see if she has any recommendations.”
“Good. I know you have a dedicated staff, but you and Tony can’t be the only people who can handle the big things. You’re going to need time off after the baby, and after that, you might want to spend less time at the office.”
I turned, frowning. This wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned me working less. “I know you make millions every year. But I’m not going to stay at home and let you take care of me. I like what I do.”
He wrapped a thick arm around my waist and pulled me into his chest. “I know. I just want to make sure you have options. We don’t know what the next six months are going to bring.”
There it was again. That cryptic tone to his comment about the future. I wanted to stay and drag out of him whatever was on his mind, but I didn’t have time.
“I’m going to stop by my place tonight. I need to check my mail and get some new clothes. And maybe my yarn. It would give me something to do while you watched the game tonight. I can’t read through all that yelling.”
“You should just move in here,” he said, catching me off guard. “You’re practically living here already.”
It wasn’t that outrageous of a proposal, but for some reason, I started to laugh. All I could do was picture a mound of my brightly colored Afghans draped over his modern gray sofa. Or my wall of photos cluttering up his hallway.
“You don’t really want me living here full time. I already drive you crazy when I kick off my shoes in the living room.”
“I only mentioned that if you took them off at the door, you wouldn’t spend fifteen minutes looking for them in the morning.”
His indignant response made me laugh again, and I kissed his cheek. “You’re just proving my point.”
He caught my hand as I stepped around him and pulled me back for a real kiss that left me breathless.
“Think about it.”
The thought had crossed my mind. I was hardly ever home right now, but once he started playing again things would be different. It’s not that I didn’t trust him. He was committed to me—to us. While we may have done things out of order, I knew marriage was something he wanted. And unlike the last time he asked, I was starting to warm to the idea.
I licked my lips tasting the cinnamon toothpaste he used, and nodded. “We can talk about this later. I need to leave, or I’m going to miss the delivery.”
22
Cooper
“Are you ready?” the ultrasound technician asked as she squeezed out a mound of jell on Emily’s bare stomach. “The baby is a lot bigger than the last time you were here. You’ll be able to see a lot more. I’m just going to be taking a few measurements first.”
I watched, fascinated, as the images of our baby filled the screen.
“You can see the head and the body right here. The heart. It’s beating strong. No abnormalities.” She clicked a few buttons on the machine, and the picture changed again. “The baby is about 10 inches. That’s right on target for twenty weeks. Baby is wiggly today. Are you feeling a lot of movement?”
“A little stronger every day. And yes, the baby never stops moving,” Emily said, still watching as the picture changed once again.
“You might have an athlete on your hand. I bet that comes from dad. There’s a little hand. I’m going to try to get a good picture of the face.”
The technician moved the wand a few times, pressing down under Emily’s belly button. On the screen, a clear image of the baby’s head came into view. And in that moment I saw the first real image of our child, and it was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. Something inside of me shifted. This was it. This was ever
ything that mattered right there on that screen.
“Two eyes. A nose. Sweet little mouth. Everything looks great. I’ll print this one out for you to keep.” She hit a few more buttons and shifted the wand, pointing out various things on the screen. “That’s the umbilical cord. There’s a foot. Baby has nice long femurs. I bet you’ll have a tall one. You guys did want to know the gender, right?”
Emily looked back at me and nodded, her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. I laced my fingers through hers and said, “Yeah, we want to know.”
“Great. Let’s see if we can get a good look.” She pressed and prodded, trying to get the baby to cooperate. Seconds ticked by as the baby flipped and shifted. I was afraid she was going to give up when she pointed to a white spot on the screen. “There. It looks like you two are having a little boy.”
“A boy,” Emily gasped and covered her mouth.
A son. I didn’t have words for what I was feeling. The technician handed me the printout and all I could do was stare at it. I leaned down and kissed Emily’s forehead, amazed by the sight of the life we’d created together.
“So Coop junior, huh? I’m not sure the world is ready for two of you,” Ben said and handed back the ultrasound photo. “What does Emily think about having two Reynolds boys running around?”
“She said she didn’t care either way, but I think she really wanted a boy. She has this whole baseball theme planned for the nursery.”
I grabbed the ice pack off the table and put it back on my knee. After the ultrasound this morning, I went for a slow jog around the park, and now my knee was screaming.
Ben looked around my apartment and chuckled. “I see she’s really left her mark here.” He picked up a half-finished baby blanket Emily had been working on and chuckled. “I never thought in a million years you’d end up being the one to settle down.”