Page 37 of Batter Up!

“I heard what you said,” she stood and went with the nurse. “I really just need some time to think. You broke my heart, Tyler.”

I watched as the door closed behind them. I felt my stomach stink.

“Flowers,” a woman near us said. “My husband knows flowers will always work when I’m mad at him.”

“No. That’s not good enough,” another woman chimed in. “Flowers just die. Find out what she’s craving and get her that. For me, it’s spaghetti with milk duds.”

“Oh, man, I thought I was bad,” another pregnant woman said. “I crave cottage cheese and mustard.”

“That is bad, too,” I found myself saying out loud, and the man sitting next to her nodded emphatically at me.

“Jewelry, brother. It always works,” he suggested.

“Or chocolate,” the first pregnant woman who had suggested flowers said. “Chocolate and flowers.”

“How long do you think she’ll be in there? Should I wait for her?”

“My man, she asked for space. When she comes out here and sees you still sitting here she might get even more angry. These pregnancy hormones are a real bitch.”

His wife rolled her eyes and glared at him while rubbing her very pregnant belly. “You try carrying a baby for over nine months, Anthony. You wouldn’t make it.” Her anger then turned into tears. “You just don’t appreciate what I’m going through growing this baby of yours.”

Anthony nodded at me and mouthed ‘see what I mean?’

“Good luck,” I said to him and started walking towards the receptionist.

“Sweetheart, we can stop at Lilly’s Pad and get you some fresh flowers for the nursery.”

“Oh, Anthony. That would be lovely. That is the best florist around.”

As I got to the receptionist, she was smiling. “It’s our only florist around. Some of these hormonal women really are funny.”

I just shook my head and shrugged. “Hey, uh, is Molly Green okay? She looked upset after she talked to you before. Is there anything I can do?”

She shook her head and sighed, “I’m sorry, but I can’t divulge any information about the patients. If it's any consolation, I’m rooting for you.”

“Thanks,” I said as I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. It was a text message from Cooper.

Cooper: We just got back. You get your girl yet? Bring her to Pizza Palace.

I waved to the receptionist and left the doctor's office to give her the space she asked for. I headed over to the Pizza Palace to talk to my guys. It was time to come up with a plan to win her back.

A grand gesture, as the name implies, requires something more demonstrative. Physical effort and/or a sacrifice of time, money, or pride are key, as is the element of surprise.

“Why am I such an idiot?” I asked as I filled the front case with chocolate, plain, and almond croissants. “First, I don’t give him my name or number, and then I ruin the mood by telling him I’m pregnant. Finally, I told him I needed space; then I was devastated when he wasn’t still in the waiting room when I finished my appointment.”

“First off, I’m super proud of you for telling him you were pregnant. Some people wouldn’t bother telling a guy that they had a one-night stand with,” Penelope paused in her thought, and I saw her eyebrows furrowing and saw a hint of sadness in her brown eyes before it was gone. “You were hurt, and I still want to throat-punch him for what he said, but I am glad he apologized and is coming to his senses. I don’t think he’s gone for good, and if he doesn’t come around soon, we know where he works.”

I had to laugh. “I love that you call him playing baseball ‘work’.”

Penelope shrugged as she filled the espresso machine with the beans, “Well, it’s true.”

“I know he works hard,” I said with a sigh and began filling the nut-free case with blueberry and strawberry scones. “Did I tell you he has a nut allergy?”

“No way! Maybe, somehow, you knew you’d get with a guy who had a nut allergy, and your nutty ways made you buy a place with two kitchens.”

“I really am nuts,” I said with a giggle. “Who knows, but I’m really glad I have items that are safe for him to eat.”

“Ready to open?” Pen asked as she walked to the front door.

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