Page 35 of Batter Up!

I nodded and looked at him, then at my two other roommates and best friends. “I don’t know what to fucking do. I hardly make enough to put food on the table for myself. I can’t help take care of a baby, and she even said her bakery was doing okay and knew I didn’t make much.”

“I help little, too. It hard,” Ivan said reluctantly. “But do what can. She sounds, um… word….um…. Comprensión.”

“What are you trying to say?” I asked.

“Comprensión is Spanish for understanding,” Jude said and then shrugged when we all looked at him in shock, “I dated a really hot Latina chick for a while and learned a lot.”

“She was really understanding,” I said. “I was an asshole to her. I told her I couldn’t do it. I fucking even asked if she was sure it was mine and if we used a condom. She answered honestly that she didn’t know if we used a condom or not because we were both pretty wasted.”

Ivan was shaking his head in disappointment at me, “She need support. She need you, and baby need you. Man up, asshole.”

“I know, I know,” I said. “I just was in shock, and I don’t know how I’m going to do this. Maybe my dad was right, and I should just go back to the auto shop and work as a mechanic. I’d be making more than I am here. I’m bringing the team down anyway after today’s game.”

“Fuck that!” Cooper declared loudly. “You had a few bad games because you’re mad at yourself for acting like a tool. You gotta apologize to her and get her back.”

“No shit,” Dom said as he leaned up against my locker, “You had us stop the damn bus to help her out. You want to try and work it out with this chick.”

“I like her,” Ivan said. “You be good dad.”

“We all like her!” Hayden interjected.

“And her baking is amazing. You can’t let her go,” Cooper whined as he rubbed his stomach.

“I like her a lot,” I admitted. “But you are all going to call me a dumbass. I have her name now, but I still don’t have her number.”

“You really are a dumbass!” Cooper said and hit me on the back of my head. “What is wrong with you?”

“Ouch!” I complained as I rubbed the back of my head. “I was going to get her number that night she came to the game, but then she told me about being pregnant. I was in shock and completely forgot to ask her for it.”

“After being an asshole and a dumbass, you’re going to need a grand gesture to get her back,” Hayden said. “But we’ll help you think of something.”

When we got to the next motel, I decided to do a video call with both of my brothers.

“Hey, man! How’s it going?” Landon asked as he stood by a wall-to-ceiling window in his luxury hotel with the view of New York City in the background. I was sitting in my small motel with a cornfield as my view in the middle of Indiana.

“Well, I have something to tell you guys,” I said and took a deep breath.

“I know. You found your girl,” Carter said. “Remember, you interrupted my COD match. I was in the top two situation, you asshole.”

“I found her and lost her,” I explained. “But she’s not the only one I lost.”

“You had another girl?” Carter asked. “Dude, I really do need to play ball again.”

“Shut the fuck up, C, and let him talk,” Landon commented with a roll of his eyes.

I nodded my thanks to our oldest brother and said bluntly, “Molly’s pregnant.”

“Oh, shit, man. Wow,” Landon said, and I watched as he sat down and did the same nervous tell that all three of us had - he pulled at his hair. “And let me guess, you got all defensive and said shit you didn’t mean to say out of shock and lack of thinking.”

I groaned, “You know me too well.”

“You have to get her back,” Carter said.

“I know!”

“When you do, I’m going to be that baby’s favorite uncle.”

Landon laughed and shook his head, “Keep dreaming.”

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