18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Cassie

" M om?" I lifted my head from my pillow, hoping my eyes weren't still puffy. The last four and a half days, all I've done was cry. I took Tony to school and picked him up, but I didn't go to work, telling them I had some bug. But it was all a lie because I couldn't stomach leaving this house any more than I had to.

I had spent unknown amounts of hours trying to figure out how to shut Peter up. But I was utterly clueless. Nothing was popping up and I had a dreadful vision of my future being so damn alone because he would chase off any good man that looked my way. It was stupid, I knew, but I couldn't seem to fight it. Right now, there was no backbone, no strength to go against him .

"What?"

"I think you need to get up. The game is going to start soon, and we have to go." I shook my head. That was the last place I wanted to be, thank you very much.

"No, I don't think I can go. But you can. I'm sure your dad would want to take you." I watched Tony make a face as he kicked his toe against the floor.

"I don't want him to go, I want you. You're my mom, and I love you. I'm sorry about the things I said the other night. I was just upset."

"Oh, I know you were, Tony. I don't hold it against you."

"Then please get out of bed. I hate seeing you like this." I sat up and held my arms open for him.

He didn't deserve this. I was a good mom, I knew that. I always put my baby above my own needs. And I needed to do that now. I could cry at night when I was alone, not when I had to take care of this little man.

"It's not your fault, it's mine." He rested his head against my shoulder, and I realized how big he was getting on me. "I'm letting someone else win a fight and I shouldn't."

"You always tell me to be the bigger person, Mom. "

"I am in this case, baby. But it just hurts a lot." He nodded as if he understood, but I know he didn't, he couldn't. "So, the game?"

"Please. I was told to make sure you got dressed up." I paused for a moment before I tilted my head.

"You were told?"

"Yup. And I was told that the tickets would be behind home plate, so really good seats."

"Um, Tony, told by who?"

"Dominic of course. Duh Mom, who else?" My jaw dropped. I had totally forgotten that Tony could text Dominic. Oh my gosh, what was I allowing by that? What if that only got Dominic in more trouble? But I couldn't stop that, that would only hurt Tony more, and I refused to do it.

"Right, Dominic." I cleared my throat and checked the time. "Well, guess I better get dressed huh?"

"I think so." Tony laughed and then jumped out of my arms, racing to the living room. I took a deep breath and climbed out of the bed, finally heading to the shower.

I stepped up to the will-call booth, giving them my ID. This wasn't a new experience. Sometimes Peter's uncle would be kind enough to leave tickets for Tony, but they were never this good. I smiled at the lady as I took the tickets, handing Tony his, and started making our way there.

"Wait." I paused, turning to see Coach Raul coming our way. Tony beamed at him and ran to give him a hug, which I followed. "You look gorgeous," he told me, giving my cheek a quick kiss.

"Well, someone told my son that I needed to wear a dress to a baseball game. I'm sure I'm going to look foolish in the stands."

"Not at all." I fixed the peasant-style top and nodded. "Listen, I'm not sure what's going on any more than you do, but I want you to trust whatever is happening or what's going on." I frowned, that did not make sense at all. "Just, trust me, when I say I have your back, Cassie. That you mean more to me than you know. Enjoy the game." I watched him walk off, frowning even more.

"That made no sense, Mom."

"You're telling me, Tony. Let's go." We headed to our seats, and I looked around, loving the view. If these weren't so damn expensive, I would be here more often. But they were far out of my price range .

"Mom!" I turned to look at Tony, finally catching on that the whole crowd was cheering. I turned my gaze to look at the field, wondering why. Then I lost my breath as I saw Dominic standing on top of his pitcher's plate, a microphone in hand.

"Welcome to the game, folks. I need a favor. There's a gorgeous woman sitting behind home plate, can you please cheer her on? I need her to join me on the field." I held my hand over my mouth, shaking my head. But Tony was shoving me, and the crowd was cheering louder. I wiped my eyes from the tears, and finally stood, making my way down to him, glad I wore flats and not heels.

"Dominic," I mumbled, walking up to him. "What is going on?" I wanted to glance around to see if Peter was seeing this. But at that, I felt a wave of strength wash over me.

"You'll see," he whispered before picking the mic back up. "If you followed my career, you knew the last thing I wanted was to be here. However, I not only found a great city, with some serious die-hard fans," he paused, grinning as the crowd let out the biggest beep, beep . "Exactly! But I also found the love of my life who has the freaking greatest kid around! They are the best things in my life."

I felt my heart crack even more over that. He wasn't allowed to say that .

"Dominic," I muttered but he ignored me.

"However, I refuse to put them second. I want them in my life, forever. So, tonight will be my last game."

"You can't!" I screamed. No, he couldn't give it up for me, for us, not when someone was trying to take him down.

"I can, and I will, Cassie. Because I love you and nothing is more important, you need to understand that."

"I'll always be here though; you don't need to stop." Once more, that wave of strength washed over me and I knew who that was; every woman in my family telling me how to be strong, how not to give up.

"You sure?"

I opened my mouth and then stopped. He had me there because I had already given him up once, even though I thought it was best. But I believed Peter was still out there, trying to cause problems. Unless Raul was handling Peter. With a flash, I knew that's what he meant. "I got a better question for you, Cassie Espinosa."

"What, Dominic Sanchez?" I felt a whole lot better knowing the power I had behind me and my heart was a whole lot lighter.

"Marry me?" he asked, removing a box out of his uniform pocket and holding it out to me. "Show me you'll be here. And no matter what, I'll always put you two first. "

"Say yes, Mom!" I laughed at my son's reaction.

"Dominic…yes!" He slipped the ring on and pulled me in for a kiss. "Always yes!"

"Good, then what do you say we seal the deal right now since it's always yes." He looked over to Raul who had his arm around Tony, who held a marriage certificate in his hand, and I couldn't stop the flow of tears, knowing that I would say yes to his next statement. "Marry me right now, before this game, in front of everyone, on this pitcher's mound, and right here where we first met, this Dirty Diamond."