Hard Ball

by Heather Stone

  “Okay.”

  “Need some help unpacking?” She starts toward my suitcase when her cell rings. She pulls it out of her purse and sends it to voice mail. One second later, it begins to ring again.

  “Do you mind?” she asks, a fine line forming between her brows. “It’s Cal. He’s been trying to call me since last night. I had forty missed calls from him. He never calls me this much. Must be important.” Her voice is tense.

  “Why haven’t you called him back?” I probe.

  “I’ve been pretty busy trying to help my sister get to rehab. His stuff can wait,” she says, irritated.

  “Right now might be a good time to try,” I press.

  “Yeah, I better or else he’s going to keep blowing up my phone. I have to go anyway.”

  Walking over to me, Leah places a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll see you soon.” I nod. She smiles heading towards the door to exit. Her phone begins to blare one more. “Cal, hold one second, okay?” She looks back at me. “I will call you the moment I’m back in New York. If you need anything, Bae, don’t hesitate. I’ll always be there for you. I love you.”

  “I know and I love you, too. Thank you for everything. For bringing me here for…” Tears begin to fall down my cheek and I swipe them away. “Thank you, Leah.”

  Leah’s lip turns upward and she nods before placing the phone back to her ear. “Hey, sorry about that, baby. I miss you. I’m heading back home now.” She grows quiet for a minute and then steps out of the room. I lie in my bed, and I think I can hear Leah’s voice change when she says the words, “I don’t understand,” but before I can register the rest of the conversation, my eyes grow heavy and sleep finds me.

  Bailey

  Three months later

  I anxiously watch the door, my toe tapping nervously against the ceramic tile floor. The sound ricochets off the walls as I wait for Leah to arrive. Ninety days. I can’t believe ninety days have passed so quickly. I told her I didn’t need her to fly to Arizona to pick me up. We drove out here so that we could have time to be alone and talk, but this time she wants to get here and get me home. I think it’s silly, as I can fly home myself. I’m a big girl, but in usual Leah fashion, she insisted and I love her for it. As strong as I am, I still welcome the comfort and strength her presence grants me.

  I hear the faint sound of the wood from the door creak and I jump up and run forward, jumping into Leah’s arms. God, I hope it’s her or I just made a huge ass of myself.

  “Wow, Bae. Excited to see me?” She laughs and the sound warms my heart. I didn’t realize how much I missed her until this very moment.

  “You have no idea, Lea. You have no idea.” I hold her to me, not ready to let her go.

  “Well, you look great,” she says as she pulls back. Her gaze trails up the length of me, from my shoes up to my eyes. Her nose scrunches and she lifts her eyebrow up at me. “I was a bit concerned,” she admits as her lip turns up into a smile and I can’t help but laugh. I could always count on Leah to be honest. It was the lawyer in her.

  “So you ready to get out of here?”

  “Lead the way,” I say motioning toward the door.

  She grabs my hand in hers and we start to head outside. As we walk out of the sanctuary that has been my home, my eyes squint against the early morning sun peeking out from the clouds. Streams of light glisten in the distance of the desert, causing a haze to form and take shape into a mirage.

  Leah lets go of my hand and links her arm with mine. Turning my head up so our eyes can meet, her eyes glisten with unshed tears. “So you’re okay?” she mumbles and I give her a small smile as my head nods.

  “Yeah, I am, Leah. I really am.”

  She lets out an audible sigh. The last ninety days were a real eye opener for me, but they were also completely necessary for my healing. I learned so much about myself, and for the first time, I believe I have a shot at happiness. I’m going to be just fine. It took me a long time to get here, but I’m stronger than I ever was before. I’m finally able to love myself. That’s the most important thing I’ve learned during this whole ordeal. That if I don’t love myself, I’ll never be capable of loving anyone else. I might have thought I loved Reed, but now that I’ve begun the process of healing, I realize all of what we had before was built on false truths and lies. I’d only showed him half of who I really was, but now I’m ready to give him every part of me.

  I just hope he’s willing to accept me for who I am.

  Hours later, we land at La Guardia Airport. Leah has arranged a car service to take us back to the city, but as the car starts driving toward Jersey, I turn toward her with a puzzled expression on my face.

  “Where we going? I thought we were going home?” I ask.

  “We are,” she responds and I raise my eyebrows at her until she continues. “We’re going to Mom and Dad’s. Don’t be mad, but they’re kind of throwing a welcome home party for you,” she blurts out and gives me the biggest pair of puppy dog eyes.

  I groan and feign annoyance, but I can’t hide the smile that plays on my face. “I’m not mad.”

  A little over an hour later, we pull up to the home I grew up in. I step out of the car and make my way into my parents’ house. As I open the door and glance around the room, I notice it’s filled with people who love me, who I now see have always loved me.

  I finally understand everything they taught me at Helping Hand. It's not about where you are or what you have. It’s not about others and their opinions of you. All it's really about is loving yourself and the rest will follow. If you don’t love yourself, you will never believe or see the love that surrounds you. I never saw the love pouring out at me in the past. Before, I’d believed my memories were scars marring my skin. I saw them on all my exposed surfaces, and got high to hide them from others and myself. I’d clung to those memories of everything I 'd done wrong like someone who was drowning would cling to a life preserver, and now I know it’s time to move on.

  Making my way further into the house, I greet my parents each with a giant hug. “Mom, Dad, I missed you guys so much.”

  “Oh, Bailey,” my mom cries, burying herself deeper into my neck. Her wet tears are running across my skin. “We love you so much. We’re so happy you’ve come back to us.” We continue to embrace until the tears dry up.

  My gaze wanders around the room. Damon beams from the corner, waving frantically. I wave back smiling widely at my friend. I shake my head continuing my perusal. I’ll get my one on ones with everyone but there is still someone missing and just as that thought comes I spot him. Standing in the center of the room is Reed. His tall, lean frame comes into focus. I take him in and I can see creases fan out along the side of his eyes. He looks tired and worn like the last few months haven’t been good to him.

  Our eyes lock and his pain is evident. His pupils dilate, and I can see his shoulders tense. I can’t help but wonder if he still loves me. My chest caves in with the thought that he might have moved on. Tears begin to pool in my eyes. The rhythmic beat of my heart echoes through my ears. But instead of sinking back into my own despair, I remember what my therapist taught me in my private sessions.

  “With every obstacle you encounter, if you take it one step at a time, you’ll never get stuck.”

  Squaring my shoulders, I set on my path. My pulse races so fast it feels as the though the ground under me might give away. As I make my way over to him, people continuously call my name, trying to get my attention, but I don’t stop for anyone. My body won’t stop until I’m with him.

  I lean forward on my tiptoes and place an awkward kiss on his cheek. Pulling back, he stops my retreat, placing his hand to cover mine completely. We look down at our hands, now interlocked. Neither one of us able to speak. But the silence doesn't last long as I suck in a loud breath to calm my racing heart.

  “Are you okay? Why are you shaking?”

  My eyes dart back and forth across the room to where my family and friends are gathered. “I feel like e
veryone is staring at me."

  “They are. They’re so proud of how far you’ve come. You are incredible.”

  His words wash over me. He’s right. I have come far. My time at Helping Hands has proven that I have what it takes to fight. It gives me the strength I need to have hope that I’ll only go farther on this journey of soberness.

  “Do-do you still love me? Do you still want—”

  “Stop that thought right there.”

  He grabs my arm and pulls me with him. Dragging me forcefully down the hall, he moves me into a room at the end of the narrow path. He opens the door and pushes me forward. There is heat in his eyes. I turn away from him, afraid of what he might say, I feel the warmth of his body radiate down my back.

  His lips tickle my neck. “Do I still love you? Do I miss you? Does it feel like I love you? That I missed you? That I want you?” He pushes his body closer to mine and I can feel his rock hard length pressing against me. My breath hitches in my chest.

  “Did you miss me, Bailey?" His hand reaches around me and begins to stroke my jaw. “Did you miss me kissing you?" He places a soft kiss on my neck. "Did you miss me licking you?" His tongue trails in the wake of his lips.

  His hand runs up my thigh and lifts my skirt, his fingers skimming the edge of my thong. "Did you miss feeling me inside you?" His finger dips inside me and I tremble at the invasion. "Because I missed it all. Every day you were gone, I craved you, your body, your heart, but most importantly, your soul. Because that's what you are to me, Bae. You’re my soul."

  Pulling his finger out, I whimper from the absence. His hands roughly turn me around and his lips descend, showing me just how much he loves me. Showing me every emotion he couldn't say with words.

  Merging my soul to his.

  A bond that could never break.

  Wrapping my arms around him, I deepen the kiss. And without words, I pour my heart out to him. In this moment, I finally feel home.

  Reed

  Epilogue

  I look over at my smiling wife.

  Bailey looks radiant tonight. Her hair is swept up into an updo. At least I think that’s what they fucking call it. And her navy blue dress hits about an inch above her knees and scoops low on her open back.

  She’s perfection and she’s mine.

  It wasn’t a smooth road to get here, but it was worth every bump and detour.

  This weekend marks our fourth month as Mr. and Mrs. Lawson. I didn’t think I’d ever want to hear those two words together in reference to me, but Bailey was a game changer.

  She looks up and gives me that knowing smile. If she keeps it up I’m going to fuck her right here. Bailey struts my way, making my dick press firmly against the seam of my pants. When she gets close, I go to hand her the glass of champagne, but she shakes her head no. With time, Bailey has begun to enjoy a single glass of champagne on occasion. She has found that she no longer craves that high she once did. It’s been replaced by a high that her and I create when our bodies mold together. When she says no at the single glass, I begin to panic.

  Strange. My girl loves her champagne, and we are all here to celebrate her father’s retirement.

  “Baby, your sister will be here soon and it will be time for your toast.”

  “Yes, but there will be no drinking for me tonight or for the next seven months.” She smiles.

  I give her an odd perusal.

  Then it hits me like a ton of fucking bricks.

  She’s pregnant. My baby is growing in that tiny belly of hers. My wife is having my baby.

  The thought has me going caveman protective. I grab her and growl into her ear. “Say it.”

  “I’m pregnant.” She beams at me.

  I smile down at her, ready to scream the news to the room.

  “You told him.” Damon’s elated voice breaks us out of our happy bubble. I shake my head at his less than perfect timing.

  “I did.” Bailey squeals smashing Damon into a crushing hug.

  “Hey, be careful. My baby is in there.” I step in between them shielding her stomach from harm. Damon and Bailey both giggle.

  I turn to my girl and place a kiss on her lips to stave off the fit of laughter my protective instincts caused. Bailey eyes look past me and go wide in shock and confusion. I turn around to see Leah waltz in arm in arm with Jace.

  What the hell?

  The room goes silent. After the near death of Bailey, Leah went after Jace. She even went so far as to prosecute him. It got ugly. I shared the whole hospital scene with Bailey once she got home from rehabilitation. On several occasions, Bailey asked Leah to drop her issue with Jace. Part of her healing is taking ownership of her decisions. Jace wasn’t the issue. He was just the catalyst to rock bottom. Leah is stubborn and refused.

  This whole scene doesn’t make any sense. She fucking hates him. I shake my head. As much as I’d like to get to the bottom of it, I can’t bring myself to care. Everything is right in my world. I have my girl and nothing and nobody can take that from me.

  I smile.

  “I don’t give a fuck what’s going on over there. Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we’ll ask questions.” I lean down and kiss my wife.

  “I’m out of here,” Damon says beside us. “I have a meeting to attend and that right there is enough to make a person use.” His brows rise.

  “I’m proud of you, Damon,” Bailey croons.

  “Me too,” I chime.

  “Catch you lovebirds later. Congrats, guys. Baby Damon is going to be a killer.” He grins while walking towards the door. I scoff and Bailey chuckles.

  I take Bailey into my arms once more inhaling her scent.

  “I love you,” I whisper for her ears only.

  “Always,” she replies.

  Life is good.

  The End