29. Wyla

Chapter 29

"Mommy!" Stevie barrels through the front entrance into my arms.

"Hey, baby." I scoop her up as her little arms wrap around my neck. "Did you have so much fun?"

"So much fun. There were flamingos there, Mommy! They were pink!"

"Oh, that's so cool, baby." I set her back down as Jett's parents make their way up. "So, how was she really?" I laugh.

"She was an angel." Rose beams. "A million times better behaved than Jett and Anna ever were."

I snort a laugh. "My parents say the same thing."

Rose gives me a soft smile. "And you'll say the same about your grandchildren, my dear. Oh, before I forget here is her EpiPen."

Rose reaches into her bag, pulling out the injector .

"Oh, perfect, thank you. She hasn't had a reaction in two years but there's no way I can leave the house without it." I slide it in my small bag then we head out to the stadium.

For the start of the game, we decide to watch up in the friends and family box. Jett told me he'll probably start pitching in the sixth inning, and we're more than welcome to move down to the other seats if we want. And honestly, based on the looks I got when we walked in, it may be sooner rather than later.

A group of women stand by the snack bar whispering to each other, and I want to climb in a hole. I know I can't control what people say behind my back and me going over there to tell them to shove it would only make me look like a complete bitch.

Rose slinks her arm through mine. "Ignore them, Wyla. What they think now doesn't matter."

I let out a deep breath and nod. She's right, eventually this whole ‘she hid his baby from him' nonsense will be old news. I know I'm a stranger coming in so the whispers are to be expected but it doesn't make them hurt any less.

"I wanna sit at the front!" Stevie points toward the rows of bleachers at the edge of the suite.

"You got it, Stevie Rose," Vance says, and lets her lead the way .

The game starts slow, not watching Jett play really lowers my interest. A couple runs for us in the third inning, one for the New York Generals in the fourth.

At the bottom of the fifth, Stevie leans over tapping my leg. "Mommy, I'm hungry. Can I have a snack?"

"Please?"

"Please," she copies.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

I stand from my chair and I already see some of the "WAGs" looking at me and whispering. I ignore them with a deep breath and glance at the snack table. No one else is up there. I'll be fine, right?

"Want me to come with you?" Rose asks.

I shake my head, pushing down my insecurities. "No, I'm good. Do you want anything?"

"No, thank you, dear."

With another deep breath, I make my way up the table filling up a small plate of fruit, popcorn, and a plain hotdog, then deciding I wanted a plate as well I load up another.

I swing by the cooler with the waters and try to balance mine and Stevie's plates so I can get the bottles situated.

"Want me to help you with that?" a girl with long, fiery red hair asks .

Her smile seems genuine, and I don't think she was with that group earlier. "That would be great. Thank you."

She takes the water bottles from me. "You're Wyla, right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"I'm Callie, Adam's little sister. It's so nice to meet you!"

Relief floods me. "Oh hi, nice to meet you."

"Adam told me Jett's mystery girl would be here with a little blonde cutie! I got here late or I would have greeted you when you came in. Well, tried to greet you, I kind of came up here on a gamble if you were actually Wyla. I saw a blonde little girl and I thought I saw Jett's parents, but I'm also not entirely sure I remember them completely. It's been a couple years… But it's you, so phew! Probably would have been super awkward if you were someone else's baby momma but…" Her eyes go wide. "Oh my gosh, Callie, stop talking."

I kind of can't help but laugh. Her "baby momma" didn't hold any sarcasm undertone to it. She clearly just got carried away in her ramble.

"You're alright. I suppose ‘baby momma' isn't a wrong statement."

Callie drops the tension in her shoulders and laughs. "I guess, but I would like to say, I do know you're more than that too. I have a little bit of foot in mouth syndrome."

"Hey, I get it. It happens to the best of us."

"Mommy!" Stevie hollers from her chair. "Daddy's playing! Daddy's playing!"

Callie laughs. "I think that's your cue. Mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all."

We make our way back down to our seats as Jett sets up at the mound.

"Mommy, can we go sit in the front now? Pleaseeee?" Stevie makes sure to drag out her please for the dramatics.

"But I got you food, you said you were hungry."

"Please, Mommy! We can take the food with us!"

I look out to the field, I can't say I wouldn't mind a closer view myself. "Okay, we can go, but you have to be super careful going down the stairs. I have to carry the food so I can't carry you."

"I'll carry her." Vance picks her up and plops her on his shoulders.

Stevie squeals and pats his head. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

We all make our way down to the seats Jett told me about. We're about three rows back from the net, which Stevie complains still seems "too far" but there isn't enough open seats for everyone in the front row.

But she quickly becomes distracted because Jett just threw strike number two.

Callie laughs as Stevie sits on the edge of her seat. "Looks like someone is Dad's biggest fan."

Jett throws the last strike and Stevie practically jumps out of her chair with her little fist in the air. "Yay, Daddy!" she screams.

This overwhelming feeling of happiness fills me as I watch cheer for Jett. "Yeah, she is."

We stay in these seats for the rest of the game. They have Jett pitch through the sixth to the eighth inning and a different guy closes out the ninth with the final score being 5-3 in favor of the Mavs.

"Can we go see Daddy now?" Stevie whines, taking my hand as we walk back toward the exits.

Um, I'm honestly not sure. I didn't think to ask Jett what we were supposed to do after the game. I turn to Callie. "This may be a dumb question but I'm assuming they don't get to change their clothes and leave immediately by chance."

Callie shakes her head. "Sorry… Adam's usually here well after eleven on most game nights. But I think Jett should be able to come out for a second to say hi. "

"I want to see Daddy!" Stevie stomps her foot and pouts. She's exhausted, I know but she's gonna have to give me a little grace too.

"Hey, little girl, dial down the attitude. Let me see what we can do."

"Do you need me to take you to the family waiting area? I don't mind."

"That's okay, I know how to get there. But if you want to come with us, you're more than welcome to." I really like Callie, she's been super welcoming, and it would definitely make the idea of moving here slightly less scary if I knew I would have some type of girlfriend.

"I'm probably going to head out, if you're good. Let you have a little family moment without me lurking." She laughs. "But I will crash your party again tomorrow because Stevie is the best damn cheerleader."

Stevie claps her hands over her ears. "Language, Callie."

After we part ways, Jett's parents decide they'll go get the car to pull around front.

I take Stevie's hand as we weave our way through the crowd of people leaving the stadium. I've practically had a death grip the whole way. No wonder Dad didn't like to take us places with big crowds. There were three of us and my anxiety is through the roof with one .

The closer we get to the locker room the less crowded it gets. As we reach that little common area, there's a few of the women waiting too. A few questionable looks come our way but they're all aimed at me and not my daughter, so I swallow my pride.

I try to find a spot furthest away from the group and pull out my phone. I'm not entirely sure if Jett even has his phone right now. Do I call him and tell him we're out here? Standing out here and him not coming out would most definitely crush my soul a little bit.

"Daddy!" Stevie screams as she jerks out of my hand.

I turn just in time to her run full speed into Jett's arms. "Hey, Little Bee. Did you have fun?"

When my heart stops exploding from their cuteness, I realize Jett didn't pick Stevie up like he usually does. Did he hurt himself pitching tonight? The moment the thought crosses my mind I walk over to where he's crunched down talking to Stevie.

He's listening to her complete recall of her day intently but still gives me a smile as he sees me walk up.

When she finishes telling him about the flamingos he stops her. "Stevie, I wanna hear so much more about your day but let me say hi to your mom first."

"Okay, Daddy." Stevie beams .

"Hey, Wy." Jett's got that stupid sexy smile on his face as he stands and pulls me in to kiss my head. "Did you enjoy the game?

I want to immediately skip his question and ask him if he's okay, but if he's not I don't want to freak Stevie out.

I muster my best fake smile to cover the worry. "Yeah, there's this new pitcher, he was pretty good, wasn't he Stevie?"

She snickers. "Super good!"

"And hot," I whisper, hoping only Jett can hear it.

"What?" Stevie asks, taking my hand and swinging it back and forth.

Jett chuckles. "She said it was a little hot today."

It wasn't but what does a four-year-old know about the weather?

Jett squats back down to Stevie. "Hey, can you do me a huge favor?"

Stevie bobs her head up and down. "What is it?"

"Can you please be good for your mom and go to sleep when you get home? I've got to finish up some stuff here for a bit."

Her lip tumbles out. "Why aren't you coming home with us? I want you to help give me tucks."

Jett gives her a tight hug that I'm sure is more for him than anything because that hurt my heart too. "I promise we'll get up first thing in the morning and make breakfast together."

Stevie sniffles and wiggles out of the hug to wipe the small tears in her eyes. Poor girl is exhausted which means we're also very emotional. "And we can play together too?"

"Whatever you want to do, Little Bee."

"Okay," she mumbles, and I can't resist anymore. I pick her up and she rests her head on my shoulder.

Jett stands back up with a look of pure agony.

"She's okay, just sleepy. Stevie, honey, let's tell Daddy goodnight, okay?" I try to bounce her to get any sort of giggle but she doesn't.

"Goodnight, Daddy, love you," she heavy mumbles. It really comes out like "Gwednight, daddy, wove yous."

I can practically see the pain on Jett's face. "Love you too, Stevie." He rubs small circles on her back and she cuddles into me more.

"She's exhausted, babe." I know this feeling he has right now, the I'm fucking up my child feeling. "She'll feel better after some sleep."

Jett steps in and kisses my forehead. "I'll be home as soon as I possibly can."

"It's okay, she'll be asleep before we pull out of the parking lot. "

"Wy, I'll be home as soon as possible. Let me walk you guys out." Jett tries to lead the way but his dad steps in front.

"I've got em, and your mom is waiting in the car up front." Vance reaches to take the limp noodle of his granddaughter from me.

Vance squeezes Jett's non-hurt shoulder. "You played good, son. I got your girls, we'll take them back to your place, safe and sound, I promise. Now go ice your shoulder because I know it hurts."

Jett nods and looks down at the ground as his dad starts to carry Stevie out.

I take his hand and squeeze it. "Hey, we'll be there when you get home. Don't rush, I've actually started to like you throwing me over your shoulder so make sure you're still gonna be able to do that. Okay?"

A small smile finally tugs at the corners of his mouth. "Okay, baby girl."