Epilogue Dom

Epilogue

Dom

Shaking off the snow I step into the atrium of the Bandits stadium. Today it looks nothing like it does in the middle of the baseball season. And instead of being here for practice or a game, today, I’m my wife’s coffee bitch. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

There’s a sea of people buzzing around the evenly spaced out tables, including Lara who is busy helping with set up. Each table is home to a display about one of the five charity organizations here today. Soon, the rest of the available space will be packed with people interested in volunteering for one of these organizations. They’ll get to speak with current volunteers and full-time team members about the mission of each organization and the types of volunteer work they can do.

In the middle of it all is my brillant wife, commanding everyone’s attention as she gives directions to finish the set-up and ensure the event runs smoothly.

I wait off to the side while she finishes doling out assignments. I’m beyond impressed with everything she’s accomplished in the last six months, but I never doubted she’d pull it off. Still, my wife has transformed right in front of my eyes, from the woman who ran from her fears, to someone who faces them head on.

From the moment she got her test results back she’s battled with every cell in her body for the life she wants and I’m just really fucking lucky that she saw me as part of that future when I asked to her to imagine what it would look like.

I make my way to the heart of the atrium, where she’s finally alone, and hold out my hand. “One black coffee, jet fuel, fully caffeinated, just the way you like it.”

“My hero,” she coos, playfully. “Now, where are your minions?”

“If by minions you mean teammates, they should be here in a few minutes.”

“Perfect. I can’t wait to order them around. It might just be the highlight of my day.”

“I’m sure it will be, but why don’t you come sit with me for a few minutes first? Get off your feet while you have the chance.”

If looks could kill, I’d drop dead here and now.

“You promised not to coddle me. It was in your vows.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

She shrugs, bringing the coffee to her lips. “I’m fine, Dom. It’s been weeks and the doctor cleared me, but it makes you feel better, I promise not to lift anything heavier than this coffee cup.”

“Reconstructive surgery is no joke, Baby. Just be careful.”

“I’ll sit for five minutes and enjoy this coffee with you, but as soon as there are Bandits here to boss around, break time is over.”

Taking her hand in mine, I lead her to a little alcove, one I know has a chair waiting just for her, because I called the stadium this morning and spoke to the head of facilities myself to make sure it would be there.

“Happy?” she asks, when I pull her down onto my lap.

“For now,” I tell her honestly. I’ll be watching her like a hawk until the moment I get her home. She’s slowly returned to work over the last three weeks, but today will be her busiest day by far since her breast reconstruction three weeks ago. I know she’s strong. I’ve witnessed just how strong countless times in the past six months, but I’ll always fight to protect her, even if it annoys the shit out of her.

“Want a drink?” She holds the coffee between us, a devilish grin on her face.

“No fucking way. Not even Lilah can make that tar taste good.”

“I won’t tell her you said that. It could put her over the edge in her state.”

“You’re a menace. She had to plug her nose while she made that so it didn’t trigger her morning sickness.”

“Shit, really? Now I feel like an asshole.” Indie looks genuinely remorseful. It almost makes me feel bad.

“No, not really. She just had Mikey make it.”

“You’re the worst. Can you believe that by the start of next season, Cruz and Lilah will have a baby, and Poppy and Hendrix will be married. Maybe Dean will finally ask Mia to be his wife and then we just need to find Xavier a girl, now that he kicked Kristy to the curb.”

“Indie Duran, do you love love as much as I do now?”

“No one loves it as much as you do. I just feel bad for the guy. He’s always third wheeling it or getting stuck babysitting the rookies.” She laughs, checking the time on her watch. “Five minutes are up. Let’s go see if your goons are here.”

When we walk back out into the atrium, Dean, Xavier, Cruz, Hendrix stand together in one group while Braxton Hayes, Montana Jones, and Dash Thomas stand a few feet away looking hungover and like this is the last place they want to be. Between the two groups is Miller Murphy looking like he’s not sure where he fits into all this.

“Oh boy, this is going to be fun,” Indie says, handing me her coffee cup and rubbing her hands together.

“Vivi, Willa, and Beck,” Indie hollers to where the three women are huddled together at one of the tables. They all stand and stroll over. “We’re going to split these guys up into groups and you can give them all the down low on each nonprofit, the work they do and volunteer roles available. They won’t be registering new volunteers, we just want them to be able to direct people to the correct tables as they greet them.”

After giving the group of newcomers her speech about the purpose of the event and introducing them to the three women, she splits them up. Sending the rookies with Beck and Vivi, Miller with Willa, and taking the rest of the guys herself.

I could recite the facts about each of the five nonprofits in my sleep, but I tag along just to see my wife in action. When Xavier looks at his phone for the dozenth time in a matter of minutes, I almost smack it out of his hand.

“Xav, what the hell?” Indie says, before I have the chance to bark at him for not paying attention.

When he looks up, his face is pale.

“Kristy’s pregnant.”

“Fuck,” Hendrix groans next to him, the air whooshing out of him when Cruz backhands him in the stomach. “I mean congratulations.”

“Do you need to leave?” Indie asks with genuine concern.

“Um, no. She flew to her parents in Tennessee. There’s nothing I can do right now.”

“Okay, if you’re going to stay, I need you to put the phone away. You have nine months to prepare for the baby. I need you for the next three hours.”

“Two months.”

“Excuse me?” This time, it’s me getting the glare from Cruz.

“Apparently . . .” His eyes drop to the phone in his hands, his brows scrunched. “She’s—um she’s due in two months and is just telling me.”

“It’s really okay if you need to leave, Xav,” Indie assures softly.

With his lips pressed together and a shake of his head, he puts his phone away and pretends to focus, but I’m sure his mind is anywhere but in this room. At least until the future volunteers file in, because once they do its nonstop activity, until we close the doors three hours later.

Pride swells inside me as I squat in front of my wife, who is finally sitting down again while my teammate and our friends help clean up the space. “You’re incredible. Truly, Indie. This event is going to have such a big impact on these organizations for years to come. Vivi just gave me the final count, and they added two hundred new volunteers to the roster for Double Play. Beck said the hotline, clinic, GSA and Saving Paws had similar numbers. Your mom would be so proud of what you built.”

Her head drops into her hands and lets out a shaky exhale. “I did it.”

“Yeah, Baby, you did.”