Page 30 of Mom Ball

Yet another reason I’m not excited about him playing ball.

I help the little boy back in the wheelchair so his mother can roll him to a room. “They have room two ready for you. I’ll let the doctor know the X-rays are done.”

“Thank you,” the mother says.

I open the door and lead them in the direction of the patient room. The boy is about the same size as Timothy. I don’t dare ask how he hurt his ankle, because I’m afraid the mom will say baseball.

When I leave the room, I’m extra cautious turning around. I have been ever since the day Nate surprised me in the hallway.

I wait until I’m back in the X-ray room to text Easton that I have images ready for him and a patient in room two. That’s when I notice a ton of texts from Morgan. None of them say anything other than “Call me.” Most of them in all caps.

I roll my eyes and call her.

“Brooke! Where have you been?”

“I’m at work. Aren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“What is it?” I sit in the desk chair behind the imaging wall. Best get comfortable. Morgan likes to have lengthy conversations.

“I found enough kids to go in the draft.”

“Huh. I thought you said we needed one more.”

“That coupon won’t work.”

“What?” I hold my breath, hoping this isn’t some sketchy BOGO coupon for ball players they found on TikTok.

“Sorry, talking to the person I’m checking out.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and listen to her have a conversation with someone concerning a fifty-cent coupon for washing detergent. Morgan is lucky everyone at the Piggly Wiggly knows her so well, or else she might be without a job.

“Anyways, Aniston said Carter is ready to play again.”

“Really?”

“I know, isn’t that great?”

“Yeah.” I fight the temptation to think it isn’t. Selfishly, I want an excuse for Timothy not to play. However, Carter hasn’t played baseball since his parents died. If he’s wanting to play again, that’s a good thing. “Okay, I’ll let you go.”

“Wait!” Morgan screams in the phone.

I hold it back and rub my ear.

“There’s one more catch.”

Of course there is. I bite my bottom lip and wait for the news.

“A coach for the second team has to be present for the draft to happen.”

“Can’t Coach Bubba do that?”

“No. He can’t be a head coach.”

“Why not?”

“He’s not a parent.”

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