Page 138 of Mom Ball

He lifts his palms and takes a step back.

I retrieve a ball from the pocket of my hoodie.

“This is the ball I wrote on last night before I took myself out of the game.” I get down on one knee. Brooke covers her mouth and tears up. “I don’t have a ring yet, but I thought this could be a placeholder.”

“Wait!” Timothy yells from the plate.

My heart stops. Should I have okay’d this with him first? My chest pulses as I watch him hurry to the dugout. He returns with the ugly pink ring they won in a tournament. He hands it to me. “Use this.”

I take it from him and study his face. With me on one knee, we’re eye to eye. He looks happy. At least I hope.

“Are you okay with this? With me marrying your mom and being your dad?”

He lunges toward me and gives me the tightest hug ever. I hug him back, and everyone cheers.

“I wanted it to be you,” he whispers.

“Me too.” I kiss his cheek, then stand.

“Since I now have a ring, you can have this.” I toss him the ball.

“I’m through. For Love of the Game,” Timothy reads.

“That’s from his favorite movie,” Brooke says.

“It’s what I say is my favorite movie in interviews.” I wink at Timothy. “It’s really Sandlot.”

He laughs. “Mine too.”

I raise a brow at Brooke and hold up the ring. “What do you say?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

I put the thing on her finger, then stand and dip her for a kiss. She laughs and wraps her arms around me. Everyone claps as we kiss. I hear a blubbering noise nearby and look up to Bubba ugly crying. I quickly look away when he pulls up his shirt to wipe his face.

“Oh, come on! What is this, Never Been Kissed? Let’s play ball,” Jeffrey snarks.

Morgan whistles and we all come to attention.

“Thank you.” Bradley salutes her. “Congratulations to the Millers. Now let’s play some ball!” He lowers his mask and squats behind the plate.

Timothy tosses Morgan the ball. She catches it and makes a slightly pained face. He waits until she puts it in his bag, then takes his place as next batter.

I pitch my first non-professional game since high school, and I love every minute of it.

We defeat Jeffrey’s team ten to one. His son scored their only run, which hopefully shielded him from Jeffrey’s wrath.

Bradley lines everyone up and presents fake gold rings and medals. Brooke stands beside me, proudly wearing the even uglier pink ring. First thing on my to-do list now that Little League is over: buy my fiancée a ring like she deserves.

EPILOGUE

Nate

A lot has happened in a short amount of time.

I gained a son and a fiancée, and announced my retirement from baseball. Timothy gets out of school soon, and I’m pumped to take him to some Braves games and show him around the stadium.

But first, I have a surprise to deliver.

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