Chapter 3 - Tyler

“They are okay. Molly is okay. They are here,” I repeated to myself to calm the mix of emotions swirling through my body. Relief that they were okay, frustration that they had turned off their phones willingly and didn’t listen to the radio, and shock after all the ups and downs in the last few minutes. I decided to just tell Molly and Penelope what was going on. “There was a big tornado, and it hit Riverbend.”

I watched as Molly’s blue-green eyes grew very wide. “What?”

“No way,” Penelope said, almost in shock. “Is everyone okay?”

“And you couldn’t get a hold of us,” my wife said, finally putting all the puzzle pieces together. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. “Oh, Ty. I’m so sorry.”

At that moment, her phone began going crazy with beeps and sounds as it came back to life. I saw that she had over 100 text messages and a notification that her voicemail box was full.

“Holy fuck,” Molly said while looking at the phone in her hand. “I now understood why you hugged me so tightly. You had to have been so scared.”

“I am really sorry,” Penelope said. “I just didn’t want you to ruin the surprise.”

“You didn’t know,” I said. The emotions from the day were getting to me, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I hardly ever cried, but I couldn’t keep them away. “When the phones finally began working, and I was able to talk to Ivan, Hayden, and Cooper, they said they couldn’t find you guys. I thought…”

Molly brought her small hand up to my lips and shook her head. “Don’t finish that sentence. We’re okay. We’re here.”

I nodded and pulled her tightly against me again. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to let you out of my sight. I can’t lose you. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” Molly said, her own tears now streaming down her face.

“Is Cooper okay?” Peyton’s small voice asked.

I took a long, deep breath and looked into the little girl’s chocolate brown eyes. “He will be once your mommy calls him and tells him you guys are okay.”

Penelope looked at us with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was one tough woman I had never seen cry before. “I’m going to call him now.”

“And you better call Meadow,” I said, looking down at the face of my beautiful wife. One that I didn’t know if I would ever see again just minutes ago.

“Oh my gosh! Meadow!” Molly cried out.

“Maybe we should make these calls away from the field,” I said as I noticed we were drawing a lot of attention.

Molly and Penelope both nodded in agreement. Penelope began walking up the stairs, and her two kids grabbed the handfuls of snacks and followed her. I trailed close behind with Molly still tucked against me.

While Penelope called Cooper, Molly called Meadow. I pulled out my own phone and dialed the last person I would have expected to call until earlier today.

“Son, how are you? Is your game over?” Dad’s deep voice asked with genuine concern after only one ring. “I am sorry to tell you we still haven’t found Molly and the others.”

“No, my game isn’t over, but you’ll never believe what happened.” I felt the tears coming again and squeezed Molly’s hand with my free hand. She looked up at me as she spoke to her best friend and squeezed my hand back. I could hear Meadow’s voice yelling through the phone and had to smile through my tears. Molly began telling Meadow that she couldn’t talk to Penelope at that moment since Penelope was making her own phone calls. I had to smile when I looked over at Penelope to see that her daughter had the phone to her ear and was talking to my friend and former roommate.

“Tyler? Are you there? What happened?” Dad asked.

“Sorry, sorry,” I replied. “Molly showed up at my game. She’s here, Dad, and she’s fine. Penelope, the manager of her bakery, is here, too, with her two kids. Dad, they are all okay.”

“I don’t know how that is possible, but I am so thankful!” Dad said into the phone. “If they had been here…”

I had to nod, even though he couldn’t see me, and quickly interrupted him. “I know, I know. But we’re not finishing that sentence.”

“We should call your mom,” Molly said to me, and I noticed that her call with Meadow was over. I heard Penelope telling Cooper she had an incoming call and would call him back. My guess was that Meadow didn’t care that Pen was talking to someone else and wanted to hear her voice for herself.

“Was that Molly saying you needed to call your mom?” Dad asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “She’s my next call.”

“She really is a smart and sweet girl,” Dad said. “You’re a lucky man, Tyler. I feel bad for all I said about her and your relationship. I would like a redo of our family dinner. I am so glad she stood up to me.”

“I would like that, Mr. Stone,” Molly said next to me, with her ear as close to the phone as she could. “I’m right here and can hear everything you’re saying.”

Dad chuckled, then I am sure I heard a sob escape. “Thank you for that. Tyler, I want to tell you I’m so sorry. While I was driving up here, I did a lot of thinking, and I want you to know how proud I am of you and Landon both. I never got the opportunity to follow my dreams, and I was bitter and angry. I’m so sorry. I am so glad you are both following your dreams, despite your asshole of a father.”

Dad, Molly, and I were all a blubbering mess as we talked. I had no clue my dad even had other dreams. I honestly thought running the auto shop was it. We all agreed to talk more about his dreams later. We then called my mom, who also began crying the minute she heard Molly’s voice. Luckily, Carter was at her house, probably to be with Mom as the search for Molly continued, and we were able to tell him at the same time that she was okay. Carter and Mom agreed they would call Landon and Julia and let them know.

After all those phone calls, I was exhausted emotionally, and I could tell Molly was, too. She slumped against me and just held on to me.

“Where are you guys staying?” I asked as Penelope and her kids came over to us.

“We don’t know. We just got in the car and headed here after the doctor’s appointment,” Pen said.

“Did you tell him about both the babies yet?” Peyton asked.

“Oh my gosh, no, I haven’t!” Molly exclaimed.

“Babies?” I asked and looked down at my wife and pregnant stomach. “As in plural?”

“Peyton Jane!” Penelope scolded. “That wasn’t your news to share.”

“Sorry,” Peyton said, and her lip began to wobble like she was about to cry.

“It’s ok, Peyton. I should have already told him,” Molly said sweetly to the little girl before looking up at me with a smile on her beautiful face. She pulled a small picture from her purse and handed it to me. “It’s the reason we drove straight here. I wanted to tell you in person. But, yes, Tyler, we are having twins.”

I looked down at the ultrasound picture, something I had never seen before. There were two smaller grayscale images side-by-side. It was kind of hard to tell, but on the left, I saw a picture of a baby looking right at me with its head toward the middle and labeled Baby A. On the right, the baby”s head was in profile and labeled Baby B. Baby B”s spine was visible. I was in complete shock.

“This is the most beautiful picture I have ever seen. Have you sent it to Mom yet?”

Molly shook her head. “I wanted you to be the first to know.” She continued, “You can’t tell from the picture, but the doctor said they are fraternal and not identical.”

“So it could be one boy and one girl,” Camden said proudly, parroting what the doctor had said when he asked what fraternal meant.

“Or it could be two little girls!” Peyton cried out.

“Or two little boys as cute as their daddy,” Molly added with a smile.

“Twins. Wow,” I said with a smile of my own. “Does this change anything about wanting to find out if they’re boys, girls, or one of each?”

Molly shrugged and shook her head. “Not to me. Does it change for you?”

I shook my head. “I’ll be happy either way.”

“Guess when my due date is?” Molly asked, obviously very excited.

“No idea,” I said honestly. I had no clue about that kind of stuff.

“November 7th! Seven really is our lucky number,” Molly said with a huge smile. “They will probably come early, but it’s still a special date.”

”That is awesome! Damn, twins! I am good!” I then got down on my knees in front of my wife and kissed her stomach. “So, there are two of you in there, I guess. I love you both so much already. Your mommy sure gave me a scare today, and I am so thankful that the three of you along with Pen, Cam, and Peyton are safe, too.”

“I think I need to sit down,” Molly said, suddenly.

I jumped up and led her over to a table near where concessions workers were announcing it was last call for beers. “Baby, are you okay?”

Molly shook her head. “I got lightheaded all of a sudden.”

“You never drank your water,” Camden said and handed her the bottle. Molly opened it up and took a long drink.

“Thanks, Cam,” she said. “I just think it was a lot of information all at once, and I just had a thought that caused some anxiety. I’m going to have twins, and I don’t even know if my bakery and apartment are still standing or not.”

Penelope came over to Molly’s side and rubbed her shoulder. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to Cooper, Batter Up! is gone. I guess it’s totaled. I’m not sure if that is the right word for a building, as it would be for a car, but he said a few of the walls are still standing, and that’s it.”

Molly dropped her face into her hands and began to cry. “I know it’s just a building, but I only just purchased it on February 16th. Well, shit, I purchased it the same day these two were conceived.” One of her hands went down to rub her stomach absentmindedly. “I loved that bakery.”

“And that’s what insurance is for, baby.” I squatted down next to her and put my palm on one side of her face and rubbed gently. “We will rebuild Batter Up!, and it will be even better than it was before.”

“Like no shelves way up high,” Camden said, and we all had to laugh. “Mom always complains about the empty top shelves.”

Penelope shook her head, “I don’t always complain. You’re not alone, Molly. We’ll get it rebuilt together. And, in the meantime, you can stay with us. I talked to Shiloh, and our apartment building wasn’t hit.”

Molly nodded and seemed to like that idea.

“You could do that, or you could go on the road with me part of the time,” I suggested. “Maybe not the whole time they are rebuilding your bakery, but you could join me for a little while. I’m sure the insurance company will give you an amount for living expenses, and we can get our own motel room on the road so that we can spend some extra time together. When we’re not on the road, you can just stay with me. I’ve slept enough on the couch that Tucker can take his turn or go spend time wherever the girls he picks up live.”

Molly looked at me with love swelling in her blue-green irises. “I would love to spend extra time with you. I love that idea.”

“Thank God because it’s going to be awhile before I let you out of my sight.”

Penelope smiled and said, “I will be in Riverbend and can oversee the construction to make sure everything is done correctly.”

“Those poor construction workers,” Molly said with a laugh. “You don’t think I’m just abandoning the bakery, do you?”

Penelope shook her head, “Girl, take advantage of being able to spend time with your man. I’m the manager for a reason.”

Molly nodded, “I will need to call insurance and find out all about paying your salary while the building is closed.”

“You’ll probably need to call FEMA, too.” Penelope said. “I’m not worried about it.”

Molly sighed in my arms and said, “I’m not going to worry yet. There is nothing we can do from here. For now, we need to get a couple motel rooms.”

“The team is staying at the Best Western across from the stadium,” I said and pointed in the direction of the hotel. “I’m sure there will be vacancies since it is a Thursday.”

Molly nodded and said she would get two rooms. One for Penelope and the kids, and one for us. Hunter was going to be very excited to have his own room for the night.

“Please, make sure we’re not in the room next to you,” Penelope requested, and I loved watching Molly blush.

“We’ll make sure of that,” I said as I swatted my wife’s butt and watched her jump in response. I loved how responsive she was to me.

Soon, I had taken a quick shower in the locker room and gathered all my stuff. Being away from Molly was physically painful. I couldn’t get back to her soon enough.

“How is she here?” Montgomery asked as he came over to my locker.

“She wanted to surprise me. They turned off their phones so she wouldn’t be tempted to call me.”

Montgomery just shook his head, “Wow. What was the surprise? Was it worth it?”

“Worth freaking out that she was dead? No fucking way. But since she didn’t know what was happening, I forgive her. The surprise is pretty awesome.” I pulled the ultrasound picture out and handed it to him.

“You guys are having twins? Meadow and I were right! Congrats, man!” Hunter said and slapped me twice on the shoulder. “Do you know if they are boys, girls, or one of each?”

“We’re still going to let that be a surprise,” I answered him. “I can’t wait to tell my brothers. They are going to freak out!”

“What are you waiting for?” he asked me.

“Because I need to see her and be near her as soon as possible.”

“Fuck, man.”

“Bro, I thought she was dead. I legit wouldn’t let myself think it out loud, but it was in the back of my mind. I don’t know what I would have done if she and the babies weren’t okay.”

Montgomery nodded. “I’ll admit I was scared she wasn’t okay, too. But I am so glad she is. Let’s go find your woman.”

We began walking across the street towards the motel. “So, uh, did Meadow come with her?”

I let out a chuckle,“Molly’s bestie isn’t here with her, sorry. Just Penelope and her kids. Maybe you should break up with Chloe and then make a pass at Meadow.”

“She’s in New York,” Hunter said with a shrug. Not a great excuse. “Plus, she’s practically engaged. I’m not messin’ with that. I was just wondering if she was here.”

I just rolled my eyes. “Monty, brother, Chloe lives in North Carolina while you are here. You”re used to long distance. That is not an excuse. But you do you, man.”

We arrived at the motel and opened the door. Montgomery ignored what I said and just thanked me again for letting him have the room to himself.

“Thank my girl. She’s paying for our room. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Don’t forget we have early practice at 8:00 before our day game tomorrow. Don’t stay up too late.”

“Yeah, okay…” I said and headed to the stairs to take them to the second floor to find room 217, where my wife was waiting.