They’d happily and jointly decided their lives were entirely complete without any children. David’s brother and his wife had welcomed a set of fraternal twins last year that they lavished attention, toys, and love on whenever they had the opportunity. Spending time with the twins and their parents during the summer and holidays filled them with contentment, yet never convinced them to change their decision to keep their family unit to the two of them.
“This place looks absolutely fantastic,” Mary gushed, coming up to her and giving her a big hug. Her husband, Michael Santiago, the Tide’s right-side defensive end, trailing closely behind her, holding her hand, his dark countenance softened while he gazed upon his wife, a soft smile playing about his lips.
“Awww, thanks,” she said, beaming at her best friend. On a night like tonight, her joy refused to be contained. “I see you’ve swapped your beer of choice for something say, non-alcoholic?” she teased.
Michael and Mary looked at one another, silently communicating with one another before Mary responded. “I am delighted to announce that Baby Santiago is scheduled to arrive in approximately six months.” Michael gently caressed her stomach as she spoke.
“I knew it,” she crowed. “I told David the other day that I knew you were pregnant and were only waiting until you completed your first trimester. I was right, right?” she urged.
“Right about what?” her husband asked as he brought her a glass of white wine after shaking Michael’s hand.
“Wasn’t I just telling you last week that I knew Mary was pregnant?” she said as she leaned into his side.
“I don’t know about that,” he teased, drawing her even closer.
She elbowed him and shook her head. “Knock it off. You know what I said.”
“She’s right,” he affirmed. “I take it congratulations are in order?”
Michael and Mary nodded in unison. “Yes. We’re expecting our first baby.”
“You know what this means, don’t you Santiago?” he asked.
Michael glanced at Mary before responding. “Baby pool.”
Mary and Calleigh looked at one another before Mary asked, “Baby pool?”
“Once I announce it to the team, each player selects the date and hour of the baby’s arrival. The closest one wins and the winner is treated by the father to a night out at the restaurant of his or her choice, joined by his wife, girlfriend, or whoever.”
Calleigh knew confusion was evident on her face. “Why, if you two are the ones having the baby, do Michael’s teammates benefit from it?”
Michael cocked his head at David as though to say, you want to field this one?
“It’s an old tradition,” David began, “that started about five years ago with a former player named Merrill Pluols. Another player was expecting a kid and Merrill swore that once he saw the wife at any time after her seventh month and knew the general due date, he could pinpoint when the child would arrived within the hour on the date. It had something to do with the fact that he was one of seven children and his mother was an ob-gyn. Anyhow, the player who was expecting his kid took him up on his word and told him that if he got it right, within three hours or so, he’d take him to dinner along with the companion of his choice to any restaurant in the city. If Merrill’s prediction proved wrong, he needed to give a fairly hefty financial donation to Dornbecker Children’s hospital.
“I think it spiraled from there to the point where every player who has a child during the year, plays this pool. Father only pays if someone is correct. Otherwise, everyone contributes to the children’s hospital. It’s actually pretty cool,” he finished.
“That sounds like a lovely tradition,” she said.
“It is. I like our traditions just as much, C,” he said.
“Me too,” she said, sinking into him, looking forward to their years ahead of making even more memories together.
About the Author
After a somewhat lengthy detour into the practice of law, C.C. Galloway decided to follow her dream of becoming a writer. A native of the Midwest, she now resides in the Pacific Northwest. You can find her most days on her blog at ccwrites.blogspot.com, on Facebook as C.C. Galloway and can email her at [email protected].
Trademarks Acknowledgment
The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
iPhone and eBay: Apple Inc.
BlackBerries: Research in Motion Limited
Pottery Barn: Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Williams-Sonoma: Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Kitchen Kaboodle: Kitchen Kaboodle
Ben & Jerry’s: Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc.
Häagen-Dazs: Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Inc.
Home Depot: The Home Depot, Inc.
Walgreens: Walgreen Co.
Crow Bar: Crow Bar
Alaskan Amber: Alaskan Brewing Company
La Calaca Comelona: La Calaca Comelona
Blue Moon: Blue Moon Brewing Company
Por Que No: ¿Por Que No?
Besaw’s: Besaw’s
Gentleman Jack: Brown-Forman Corporation
Noble Rot: Noble Rot
Chanel No. 5: Chanel
Multnomah Athletic Club: Multnomah Athletic Club
Blazers: National Basketball Association
AMEX: American Express Company
Equinox: Equinox Restaurant
Nike: Nike, Inc.
No Doubt: Interscope Records
Pledge: Johnson & Son, Inc.
Wonder Woman: DC Comic, Inc.
Adele: Columbia Records
Sesame Street: Sesame Workshop
Powerball: Multi-State Lottery Association
NFL: National Football League
Milk Duds: The Hershey Company
Bound Hearts Page 22