A Heart Reborn (The Doctors of Atlants Book 3)

by BK Harrell

  As they drove down the road, Coop asked Harry about practice and what to expect. He filled him on his plans for after practice and the evening. Coop wanted to hang back and watch Harry, and not interfere with the coaching staff. However, he had an idea that the coaching staff wouldn’t allow him to just passively watch the proceedings. When they arrived at the field, Coop led Harry through some basic isometric stretches teaching the important area to focus on when warming up. As they threw the ball around, Coop couldn’t believe the velocity and force with which Harry threw the ball.

  Coop took his seat in the stands with the other parents. He wanted to be able to enjoy the practice without interruption, so he pulled his cap down a little to try and hide his identity. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to work and he spent half the practice signing autographs and taking selfies. Finally, the last of his fans left him alone and the other parents seemed to close in a round him to afford him the privacy to watch Harry practice. Thankfully, the coaches left him alone and he was able to enjoy the rest of practice.

  When practice was over with, Coop collected Harry and they headed off to the stadium. “I was impressed with your skills today. Your fielding was exceptional, and your hitting was off the chart. I can’t wait to get you in the batting cages at the stadium.”

  “I can’t wait, dad. I’ve never seen the stadium from the inside and I can’t wait to watch you hit up close.”

  “I thought we’d stop for a snack on the way. I know they’re not the best for us, but I’m craving some hot Krispy Kreme donuts.”

  “That would be awesome. Krispy Kreme and chocolate milk are the best.”

  Coop laughed as he drove them to Krispy Kreme. This was a child after his own heart. They pulled in and managed to devour a dozen hot donuts and several containers of chocolate milk. After filling up on their snack, they continued their journey to the stadium.

  Coop looked over at Harry as they pulled into the players parking lot and made their way into the clubhouse. He watched Harry’s eyes grow big as he looked around and ran his hands over the lockers of his favorite players. Coop could only imagine how he would’ve reacted if he had this opportunity at ten. He smiled as Harry settled in front of his locker. “I have a surprise for you.” Coop led Harry to a locker a few down from his and showed him the name plate above it.

  Harry squealed when he realized that his name was above the locker and it was filled with practice uniforms that had his name on the back.

  “I thought you’d like that. Get changed, then we’ll head to the batting cages.”

  Coop watched Harry get dressed in his new uniform while he changed into his. Soon, they were walking down the tunnel and were greeted by Coop’s best friend, Rhett.

  “Hey, buddy. Glad you could make it. I wanted you to meet my son. Rhett, this is Harry, a phenomenal third baseman and future replacement when I retire. Harry this is Rhett my best friend. He agreed to come and help us out today.”

  Harry shook Rhett’s hand and proceeded to extol all Rhett’s stats and virtues. Coop shook his head as he watched his son enjoy some time with his best friend. They headed up the tunnel to the dugout and the field. Coop had called ahead and had the infield uncovered so they could practice. He planned to let Rhett play first while he worked with Harry on advanced fielding techniques.

  Coop was even more impressed, as he watched Harry field grounder after grounder and fire strikes to first base. The biggest thing that Coop saw Harry needed to work on was his footwork. He seemed to be lagging on his first step towards the ball and was sometimes off-balance. The fact that he was able to recover and still make a play showed his great athleticism, but it could make or break him as the competition got stiffer. He knew Harry was going to start travel ball this season, and he would get a chance to play against top competition week-in and week-out.

  After they spent some time fielding balls, they went to the batting cages. He watched as Harry stroked ball after ball right back up the middle, but the fastball was easy and predictable. Coop changed it up and saw that even though Harry was able to hit a curve ball and slider he had a hole in his swing that could be easily exploited by the opposing pitcher. Coop went and got the video camera turned on so that he could show Harry what he was talking about and set him to doing some drills on the tee while he went into the batting cage. About halfway through his routine, he glanced over to see that Harry and Rhett had stopped as Harry stared at him as he swung.

  “Wow, dad. That was awesome. You really explode through the ball and drive it.”

  “You do the same thing, Harry. You get your hips through the ball unlike anyone I’ve seen, especially at your age. Come on back over here and let’s work on those curve balls. You may not see many right now, but you will in the next few years.”

  After about fifty more pitches, Coop saw that Harry was closing up the hole and making more solid contact with the ball. He recorded the swings and made a copy for Harry to study. They watched as Rhett took batting practice and then headed back to the clubhouse to change clothes. Coop told Harry just to toss his stuff in the laundry and it would be ready the next time he came with him.

  Harry smiled the entire way home and opted for a quick lunch of subs at Jimmy Johns.

  By the time they got home, Coop wasn’t sure how Harry was still talking. He seemed to talk more than his mother, and that was quite a feat. Coop gave Harry a quick tour and told him to pick which bedroom he wanted to make his. Coop told him to make himself at home and that he could take a shower if he wanted and that he should probably give his mom a call and let her know everything was okay.

  Coop went to get a shower and changed into sweats since they were staying in for the evening. As he approached the living room, he heard Harry excitedly telling his mom all about his day so far. Coop smiled with the knowledge that he’d made Harry happy. He knew he had a long way to go with this fatherhood thing, and the real challenge would come when he had to discipline him, but Sarah said he was a good kid and never seemed to get into trouble. As he got to the living room, Harry handed him the phone and told him his mom wanted to talk to him.

  “Hey, Sarah. How’s work today?”

  “Not too bad so far, but it’s early still. I heard all about your day so far. You must be trying to get in on the father of the year award early. I’m glad you’re able to spend time with him. I had a really good time last night. Thank you for the wonderful evening.”

  “You’re welcome. I had a great time too.”

  “What are you guys doing tonight?”

  “You know, just guy things. Watch some TV, play some video games, and gorge on pizza.”

  “Sounds like fun. Wish I could be there with you guys.”

  “Maybe next weekend we can spend the evening at home together like a family.”

  “I’d like that. When do you leave for Orlando?”

  “Two weeks from tomorrow. Well, actually I guess two weeks from today. I have to report on the fifteenth. I wish I had more time before I had to leave. I feel like I’ll be leaving a lot of unfinished business at home.”

  “Don’t worry about us. We’ll see you during winter break and otherwise we’ll be fine. Hey, that’s why they invented Skype and Facetime. You’ll leave for road trips during the season. This is just like an extended road trip.”

  “Thanks for understanding.”

  “I told you I’d fight for you, and I’m not give up on us.”

  “I know you did. I hope everything goes well tonight. I ordered pizza for you guys tonight, so enjoy. Call anytime if you want to talk to me or Harry. Bye.”

  “Bye. Have fun.”

  Coop hung up the phone and went to sit down beside Harry. “So, video games or watch a movie?”

  “Video games definitely. I can’t wait to see what they look like on this eighty-inch TV.”

  Coop turned everything on and cued up MLB on the Playstation. They battled back and forth for hours before finally taking a break and ordering pizza. They ate while still playing
games and laughed as they tried to shoot each other playing Call of Duty. Coop couldn’t remember the last time he had this much fun. He hoped that every new day brought laughter and growth of their relationship.

  Finally, Coop could tell Harry was tiring so he sent him to bed, so he would be well rested for lunch with his family. After Harry went to bed, Coop pulled out a nice Davidoff and poured two fingers of Jameson before heading outside to the patio for his evening ritual before bed. As he sat down and turned on the heater, he picked up his phone and sent Sarah a quick text letting her know that Harry was in bed and hoping that she enjoyed her dinner. When Coop didn’t get a response, he figured Sarah must be delivering a baby and she’d get back to him later. Coop had an amazing day with Harry. He was so much like Coop was at that age, except Coop had a little more mischief in him, because he was always fighting with his siblings and trying to get away with it.

  Just as Coop was heading to bed, Sarah responded to his text and told him she would talk to him tomorrow because she was heading into back-to-back deliveries. As Coop walked past Harry’s room, he stuck his head in to make sure he was okay, and just stood there looking at him as he slept. He was amazed at how peaceful he looked, because all day long he had a motor that never quit. He hoped he always stayed like that, but he knew kids would grow up, and God help them when puberty hit. As Cooped headed to bed, he sent Sarah a text asking if she wanted to have breakfast with them in the morning. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long, Sarah sent him back a text saying that she’d love to, but it all depended on the rest of her night and how long it would take them to finish up before heading out. Coop turned into bed and slept peacefully after his day with Harry.

  Coop woke up to a bouncing energetic young man. He shook his head as he tried to wake up. This was different he thought. “Morning, slugger. Did you sleep well?”

  “Like a rock, dad. I’m hungry. Ready for breakfast?”

  “Just let me check my phone.” Coop picked up his phone and saw that Sarah said she could meet them about nine-thirty. He quickly sent her a text back before telling Harry to get ready to go meet his mom for breakfast. He sent Sarah a quick text and asked if the Waffle House was okay and when she replied, yes, he told Harry they were going to meet his mom for breakfast.

  When they got to the Waffle House, they found Sarah waiting for them in a booth sucking down coffee. Harry ran over and threw his arms around Sarah’s neck and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Good morning, Harry. How was your night?”

  “It was awesome. How was your night?”

  “Busy. We delivered a lot of babies last night, but I’m happy to have breakfast with you. Are you excited to meet your aunts, uncles, and cousins today?”

  “Super excited.”

  “Good. I can’t wait to get home and hit the bed. Let’s eat so I can get some sleep.”

  They ate and talked about Harry’s day. As Harry ran off to the jukebox, Sarah turned to Coop and asked, “Did everything go well yesterday?”

  “It was great. He’s a wonderful kid. You’ve done a great job with him. I can’t wait to spend more time with him and you.”

  “Thanks, it hasn’t always been easy, but we made it.”

  “You don’t have to shoulder the load alone anymore. I’m here now.”

  “I know, but old habits will be hard to break, but I promise you I’ll involve you every step of the way, even if you’re out of town.”

  “I’ll probably screw up, but you two can help guide me down the right path.”

  “We’ll be happy to do that.”

  Harry came back and they finished breakfast sending Sarah on her way home to her bed.

  Even though it was early, he knew his mom would be waiting for them so they headed to his parents’ house. Coop just hoped that his brother and sister were accepting of Harry. It wasn’t his fault that he didn’t know them, but if he knew Evan and Lacy they would love him instantly. As Coop pulled into the driveway he was surprised to see everyone was already there. They had barely gotten out of the car when his nieces, Jamie and Julianna came bolting out of the house trailed by Houston. Coop scooped them all up in a hug.

  “Harry these are your cousins, Jamie, Julianna, and Houston. They are nine, eight, and five. Kids, this is your cousin and my son, Harry.” Coop watched as the girls embraced Harry and pulled him inside the house with Houston once again trailing behind them. Once inside he ran into his siblings who were standing right by the door. “Harry, this is your Uncle Evan and Aunt Ashley and Aunt Lacy and Uncle Bill. Everyone, this is Harry.

  Coop watched as Evan and Lacy embraced Harry as his parents came into the room.

  “Hi, mom and dad. Everyone is here early today.”

  “Everyone wanted to meet Harry. It’s all they’ve been talking about for a few days. I made meatloaf for lunch, I hope it’s okay.”

  “That’s fine. He eats anything and everything. Thanks for having us all over.”

  “You’re welcome. We all wanted to spend time with the both of you. I just can’t get over how much he looks like you. There is no denying his parentage. Are you happy?”

  “I feel mostly fulfilled. I just need the other half to fulfill me.”

  “How is that going anyway?”

  “I think it’s going well. We had a very nice date Friday night and then breakfast this morning. We’ve been trying to reconnect on a base level. I think we need to continue spending time together, but with me leaving in a few weeks it will be difficult. We’ll have to work around my schedule. They’re going to come down during Harry’s winter break so we can spend more time together.”

  “I think that’s a good idea. You two don’t need to rush into anything. I want you guys to be happy. I want you to find your happily ever after.”

  When everyone sat down for lunch, they all wanted to talk to Harry and get to know him. Coop could see that he was enjoying being the center of attention, and getting to know his family members. Lunch was fabulous as usual, and the kids all ran outside to play as soon as the plates were cleared.

  “So, Harrison, looking at him is like looking at a mini you,” Evan said.

  “How are you doing with the fatherhood thing?” Lacy asked.

  “Challenging. I never thought that I would be one to begin with. Somehow, I knew if I ever found Sarah that would be the only way it would happen. Then I found Sarah, and boom instant fatherhood. At least I skipped the midnight feedings and the terrible twos. Those three out there gave me more than enough diapers to change. However, I feel kind of cheated that I missed all that as well. I’ve spent endless hours looking at the photo album that Sarah gave me and I realize how much I missed. I would give just about anything to go back and be able to rub her belly and talk to Harry in the womb, but I can’t change the past.”

  “Do you think you can forgive her?” Lacy asked.

  “Hell, I already have forgiven her. We just need time to get to know each other and build trust again. I want y’all to know that I’m not going to let her go. I love her and we’ll make it work. Who knows, maybe I’ll finally get a chance to take this ring from around my neck and place it on her finger.”

  “We won’t stand in the way. If you love her, we’ll accept her as well. She is Harry’s mother and I’ve spent the last few days thinking about what she did. Honestly, I get why she did it. She thought you were a cheating ass. I probably would’ve done the same thing. Don’t be afraid to bring her around. I know mom and dad want her back as soon as possible.” Lacy said.

  “Thank you. She’s really worried about your reaction to this whole thing. I know in my heart, she meant well.”

  “Good luck to you both. Harry is an awesome kid and needs both of his parents.” Evan said.

  “Thanks. I appreciate your support. It’s getting late and I need to get Harry home. Thanks for lunch, mom. We’ll see you next weekend. Maybe I’ll bring Sarah if she’ll come.”

  “We’d like that. We want her to know that she is welcome her
e anytime.” Dan said.

  “Thanks, dad. That means a lot.”

  Coop got up and collected Harry from the backyard with a little grumbling on Harry’s part, but they needed to get home so he would be ready for school.

  As they pulled into the driveway, Sarah came out to greet them and give Harry a hug. She kissed Coop on the cheek when he came around the car. “Harry, did you have a good time?”

  “It was awesome, mom. I got to meet my cousins and aunts and uncles. They were all really nice. I can’t wait to go play with them again.”

  “I’m glad you had a good time. Say goodbye to your dad and head inside so we can talk for a few minutes.”

  Harry hugged Coop and thanked him for the weekend before he ran inside.

  “How was your weekend? Did everyone enjoy meeting Harry?”

  “We had a great time, but man can that kid go. You were right, he has a motor that never stops. I did miss you, too. I think us all spending the weekend together will be a great idea. Everyone wants you to come to Sunday lunch. Surprisingly, no one is really mad at you, especially Lacy.”

  “Fine, I’ll go Sunday. I just want everyone to be happy and I want to spend time with your family. Do you think we could bring my mom? I’m sure she would like to see your parents again.”

  “I think that’d be a great idea. I’m sure mom and dad would love to see her too.”

  “Look, I wanted to tell you one more thing. I’m sorry about this Christmas. I was being selfish and wanted Harry one last time. I should have told you before Christmas, but I didn’t know how you would react, and I didn’t want to ruin either of your Christmases.”