Chapter 50

Sadie

With a smile, I ask, "Are you ready to cheer for Daddy and Uncle Ash?" as I carefully slip Xavier"s tiny feet into his new Nike shoes that Jo recently purchased. I swiftly move between all three cribs, ensuring that my babies are dressed alike in matching baseball jerseys. I glance over to where Sophia sits comfortably inside Isaiah's crib. She is conversing with her little brother, who lays beside her, gazing up at her with a look of wonder and amazement. Sophia"s voice is soft and soothing, and though her words may be unintelligible to an adult, they seem to make perfect sense to Isaiah, who is captivated by his sister"s every word.

As Sophia speaks, Isaiah's eyes grow wider, and he begins to move his tiny arms up and down in excitement, as if trying to respond to her in his own way. His little face is beaming with a wide, toothless grin.

Sophia"s love for her siblings is evident in everything she does. She has taken on the role of protector since they were born.

After my maternity leave ended, I returned to work but stayed off the evening shift. Donnie wasn"t thrilled about it, but with four babies to take care of and school full-time, I had all the help I needed between my crew and my family.

And then there"s our living situation. It"s been hectic, to say the least. Donnie and I hate being apart, but he"s stayed over every night. My girl Tia even gave up her room for our kids and stays with Lupe and the gang. I told her she didn"t have to, but she insisted and encouraged me to consider Donnie"s request to get a place of our own.

Finally, after much consideration, I gave in. We got lucky, and an apartment on the third floor became available. It has three bedrooms and a larger layout, which is perfect for our family. We"ll still be close to Tia, which is a huge relief. Plus, I am excited that Telle and Tiny decided to move in with Tia.

The sound of the alarm chirping resonates through the apartment, alerting me to the sound of the front door opening.

"It"s just me!" Tia"s voice rings out. Sophia perks up at the sound of her voice. With glee, she gets to her feet and grasps onto the crib"s rails, swaying back and forth.

Tia enters the room and goes straight toward Sophia. "Hey, sweet girl. How"s my little unicorn?" Tia coos as she lifts Sophia into her arms. "Where"s your mom?" she asks me.

"Jo"s bringing them. They should be here soon." Just as I finish the sentence, the alarm goes off again. "Sade, we"re here!" Jo calls out.

I lift Xavier in my arms, feeling the warmth of his tiny body against my chest. As I turn around, I see Jo, Elisa, Mom, and Abuela all walking into the room. Mom"s eyes widen with joy when she sees Xavier, and she gingerly approaches me, extending her arms to take him from me. She holds him close, her face glowing with love and adoration. Then she leans in and plants a soft kiss on my cheek. "Hola, mija," she says, her voice brimming with affection.

I greet them with a hug.

"We"re here now, mija," Abuela says in Spanish. "Go get ready." Her voice is soothing and comforting. I give her a grateful smile and turn to leave the room.

When we arrive at the baseball field, I spot my friends waiting eagerly near the gate. The sun is shining bright, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of freshly cut grass.

As we approach them, Gio jokingly remarks, "It"s about time," before walking toward me and taking the stroller from me. He then pulls me into a warm half-hug and kisses my cheek. "Hey, Reina," he says, flashing a friendly smile.

"The girls saved our seats," Max says.

"They better have." Tia's lips curling into a knowing smile, walking past us with Sophia in her arms.

"Here, I'll take her," Seb says, reaching for Sophia, who eagerly goes to him.

We follow the guys to our seats. Telle, Tiny, Lupe, are sitting in the lower row, wearing the school"s colors, showing their support for Donnie and Ash.

Lupe is the first to see us and stands up with a huge smile. "Hey," she says, giving me a hug.

"Mira que lindos estan los ninos," Tiny gushes when she sees the kids wearing matching outfits and hats.

The rest of the girls greet us, and we take our seats. Mom holds Xavier, Jo holds Zoey, Abuela took Sophia from Seb, and Tia holds Isaiah.

As we all rise to our feet for the national anthem, the excitement in the stadium is palpable. The announcer"s voice booms over the loudspeakers, introducing the players as they make their way onto the field. The first player announced is Donnie, and the cheers from the crowd grow louder as he confidently strides onto the field, his teammates following closely behind, including Ash.

When the players take their positions, their bodies become rigid and motionless, resembling robots waiting for a command. Suddenly, the sound of "Yeah, Yeah" by Usher featuring Lil John and Ludacris fills the stadium, causing the crowd to erupt in excitement.

All eyes are on Ash in his catcher gear as he pivots and then swivels his ankle, executing a slide stop and repeating the same movement with his other leg. Without warning, he drops to the ground and uses his legs to spin like a windmill breakdancer, leaving the audience screaming for more.

"What the hell are they doing?" Tia yells but it comes out as a laugh.

"It's that trend on Tiktok!" Telle yells over the cheers.

When Ash stops, my gaze shifts to Donnie, whose muscles in his arms, legs, and upper body begin to contract in a quick, pop-like motion. The crowd roars with approval, cheering him on as he continues to flex his arms and legs while grinding his shoulders. He pauses momentarily, remaining in place before finally locking it in.

Amidst the loud music and chatter, Max"s voice booms: "Damn, Reina! Your boy can hip-hop too?" He looks at me in amazement and lets out a hearty laugh. I can"t help but chuckle along with him.

The rest of the team on the field joins in, including Ty and Rasmey, and begins the SpongeBob dance, kicking their right foot behind their left knee and to the right while simultaneously hopping to the left.

The energy pulsating within the stadium is electrifying, charging up the entire arena with excitement. As the song's notes waft through the air, the crowd is gripped by an unbridled enthusiasm that refuses to die down. Even after the song ends, the fervor in the air is palpable as the audience remains animated, their spirits soaring high, craving more.

Then as soon as it begins, it ends.

Donnie is at the pitcher"s mound, focused and delivering pitch after pitch.

"Go, Donnie!" I shout, clapping my hands as he strikes out the opposing batter.

The game is intense, with both teams giving it their all.

As the game progresses, the score remains close, and the tension continues to mount.

In the final inning, with the score tied, Donnie steps onto the mound one last time, his determination radiating. He delivers a series of strikes with a fierce focus, ultimately securing the final out and the win for his team.

The atmosphere is electric as the stadium erupts into a deafening roar of cheers and applause. Everyone around me jumps to their feet, clapping and shouting joyfully. When the team breaks apart, Donnie scans the crowd, his eyes searching for someone. And then, suddenly, they land on me.

Without a second thought, he starts to jog in my direction, and I take off down the stairs, my heart pounding with excitement. The idea of being in his arms, celebrating this incredible moment together, is all that's on my mind.

Donovan

We won.

We freaking won.

Ty can barely contain his excitement as he approaches Ash and me. "Yeah, boi!" he hollers. "That"s what I"m talking about!" he shouts, grinning from ear to ear. He gives us a double high five.

As the team begins to make their way off the field, I take a moment to sweep my gaze across the sea of faces in the crowd, scanning for one familiar face. A smile spreads across my own when I spot Shorty sitting in the stands. Without a second thought, I start to jog toward her.

My heart races as I lock eyes with Shorty, her face lighting up with pure joy. She rushes down the stands to meet me halfway. The world around me seems to blur as I focus only on having her in my arms.

My pace quickens as I close the distance between us, the thrill of winning still mingling in me. And then, as if in a scene from a movie, Shorty throws herself into my arms, a radiant smile adorning her face. I catch her effortlessly, our bodies fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Donnie, you were freaking awesome out there!" Shorty exclaims, her voice filled with admiration and pride.

My heart soars at the sound of her voice, my own excitement bubbling over. "Thanks, baby."

We stand there, wrapped in each other's arms, the world melting away around us.

"I'm so proud of you, Donnie," Shorty whispers tenderly.

"I'm so grateful to have you by my side, Shorty."

As we gaze into each other's eyes, our hearts beat as one, united in a bond that can weather any storm.

And in that perfect moment, as the world whirls around us, we know that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we will face them together, hand in hand, heart in heart, forever and always.