Page 59 of Mom Ball

“Everyone sit still!”

The kids who were rolling freeze. Morgan may not have the best baseball skills, but she sure knows how to get kids to listen.

“That’s impressive,” I say.

“Substitute bus drive awhile and you’ll learn a few things.”

“I bet.”

“Andrew, come here.”

He stands and dusts the grass off his knees from rolling and hurries toward us. “Yes, ma’am.”

Morgan looks to me, and so does Andrew.

“How would you like to catch in the tournament?” I ask.

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay, they keep gear in that equipment trailer behind the gate. Take a parent with you to help you find the right size.”

He smiles and runs toward the group. He passes us again with Easton behind him. Easton shrugs at Morgan and me.

“Just make sure it will fit him. We’ll take care of the rest,” I say.

Relief covers his face and he continues following Andrew. Morgan and I discuss where we probably need to play everyone else.

I suggest Timothy for first base since he’s left handed and can catch decently. We put Carter at short. Everyone else is pretty much sitting ducks, so we decide to rotate them around.

“I wouldn’t put Angel and Precious in the outfield at the same time. They’ll start picking flowers.”

“Good point,” Morgan agrees.

By the time we’ve settled the starting positions, I hear metal clanking. Andrew comes behind us in full gear.

“I’d probably wear a cup too, just in case,” I advise him.

“I have one in my bag,” Morgan says.

We follow her to a pile of baseball gear near Brooke’s chairs. She opens a girly-looking bag and starts tossing things out one by one. Sunflower seeds. Prime bottles. Feminine products I can’t unsee. Tylenol. A romance novel. Finally, a cup. She holds it up triumphantly.

Andrew takes it as she crams the other things back in the bag. “Hey, nobody look! I’m putting on my cup,” he announces.

Obviously, everyone looks as soon as he tells them not to. I do think a little better of Tami when she covers her daughters’ eyes.

“I’m ready, Mr. Nate.”

I nod. “Let’s warm you up.” I stand and see an empty field. “Morgan, why don’t you take the others to their positions and practice tossing the ball to them.”

She salutes me and grabs a glove and a ball. I take Andrew to a flat spot near the fence while she does her usual yelling and wrangling of kids.

We warm up a few minutes before I hear a lawn mower and a kid scream. Jeffrey is driving full force toward the outfield while our team is warming up.

One of Tami’s girls is in the fetal position by the fence, and Reece poses like Harry Potter squaring up to duel Draco. Andrew tosses me the ball, and I step closer to the fence. When Jeffrey has his back turned to me, I chuck the ball and nail the engine. It sputters and dies. Good thing it backfired loudly, because I read his lips when he spun around to check on it.

Andrew lifts his mask and stares at me. “Boss!”

I put a finger to my lips and wink. He nods and smiles. Morgan snort-laughs, then she and Brooke continue warming up everyone else.

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