Page 70 of Batter Up!

“Of course, I am. You found your long-lost dream girl, and now, you’re starting a family together. Please, tell me I get to help plan a wedding, and I’ll be the happiest mom in America.”

“They did get engaged,” Carter supplied.

“What? I need to hear all about it!” Mom said with a clap of her hands. “Let’s get home, and we can talk there.”

Carter and I walked together with Hunter towards the cars as mom, Molly, and Meadow walked together. “I still can’t believe you found her. You know Dad isn’t going to be as welcoming about the baby news.”

“I know,” I said with a shrug. “If he’s rude to her at all, I will be drawing the line.”

Family recipes are special: They remind us of a specific time and place, they’re unique to your family, and it’s quite nostalgic.

“No fucking way. How did he get off?” I asked as we saw Landon getting out of his car in my parent’s driveway. I hadn’t seen Landon since I left for the minors and was excited to see my brother.

“Ty!” Landon called out with a huge smile on his face. “How the hell are you?”

“How the hell are you here?” I asked as I gave him a big hug.

“Talked to my manager since today was an off day. He wasn’t too happy about it, but I couldn’t miss seeing you and meeting your girl.”

“Molly!” I said and looked around but didn’t see her.

“Right here,” she said and walked over to us by Landon's car. “Wow. I just can’t get over the fact that there are three of you. How did I not notice how you were all so identical back then?”

“Because you only had eyes for my Tyler,” Mom answered her.

Molly looked over at me with a blush on her cheeks. She then turned to Landon and introduced herself, “Hi, I’m Molly.”

“Hi, again. It’s been a long time,” Landon said and pulled her into a hug. “And damn, I still can’t believe you knocked her up. I’m definitely going to be the favorite uncle!”

“I can’t either, but it's so worth it,” I said with a huge smile on my face.

“Let’s get ready for dinner,” Mom said as she gave Landon a huge hug, too. “I made Ty’s favorite chicken and noodles.”

“Fuck, yeah!” I said.

“Oh, man, that sounds amazing.” Hunter rubbed his stomach and then looked at my brothers. “Holy shit! You’re identical triplets. I had no idea.”

The three of us just laughed and said in unison, “We get that a lot.”

“But that’s Landon Stone. Dude, you’re amazing. You’re a shoo-in for the Gold Glove in center this year,” Hunter said with amazement. “I never put two and two together with the last name Stone. I should have since you really do look alike.”

“Thanks, man. That means a lot,” Landon said with a laugh and shook his hand.

“Ty, when you get to the bigs, the media is going to have a field day that you have an identical brother playing already.” He then turned to Carter. “Do you play?”

“Not anymore,” Carter shrugged. “I’m happy being a mechanic here.”

“That’s good,” Molly said and smiled at Carter. “Baby is getting hungry, though. Let’s go eat.”

“Mike? Where are you?” Mom asked as she entered the house. “We have a lot of guests here for dinner.”

“I’m washing up for dinner now. I have it warming in the oven like you asked.” My dad’s voice came from the back of the house in the kitchen.

“Hi, Dad,” I said tentatively as I walked into the kitchen. We hadn’t talked since I left for the minors either. And it wasn’t from my lack of trying.

“Tyler,” Dad gave me a nod from the oven. “Nice to see you again. Mom said you’re playing close by. That’s good.”

“You could have come to the game, ya know,” I said. I looked over at Molly, who was standing awkwardly at the door of the kitchen. “Baby, why don’t you go sit down in the dining room.” I thought maybe if she were already sitting, we could prolong my dad seeing her stomach.

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