Page 36 of Love in the Outfield

“I don’t even recognize you right now. What in the hell did Georgia ever do to you?”

“Besides stealing the first two years of my grandson’s life from me? Isn’t that enough?”

“That was my fault. What was she supposed to do? I think it was incredibly brave to keep the child and try and raise him as a single mom. Besides that, what about before August? You never liked her back when we were dating.”

“And she proved my point. She’s selfish. She not only robbed us, she robbed August as well.”

“Mom please help me to understand what the actual hell is going on here?”

She sniffs. “What do you mean?”

“There is something I’m not getting here. Georgia and I only dated for five months or so. You met her what… a half dozen times?”

“And don’t forget her obnoxious family. Remember when we were invited to that hog roast?”

“I remember. We had a good time.”

“It was okay until Loretta had a little too much bourbon and decided I needed a makeover! In reality, it’s probably not so much Georgia as it is Loretta. That woman is vile. But the apple never falls far from the tree.”

“Now Mom, as I recall it, she only offered to do your hair for free, I didn’t see that as an insult.”

“First, she insulted my hairstyle and color then she practically called me a snob! She said my color was too brassy, that the blonde needed more highlights, it washed me out and the cut made my face look too round. I go to the finest salon in the city! Like she’d know more about color and style than my James does.”

I stifle a laugh. “She has been doing hair for a long time.”

“There you go taking her side again.”

“I’m not taking sides just stating a fact. What was the snob part?”

“Well after she’d insulted my hair she made some comment about my fancy car. You know, she acts like she’s the only person that has ever had to work for a living. My parents worked hard and we barely scraped by when I was growing up. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, either.”

“Look at the bright side, you have that in common.”

“Oh brother,” she says and I can picture her eyes rolling.

“Mom, I need you to call Georgia and apologize for interfering.”

“Over my dead body! I am not backing down. Your father and I agree on this. You’re going to trust her and take her word on a handshake? What if you argue and she decides to use August to get to you? She could withhold him from seeing you on a whim.”

“She’d never do that, Mom.”

“How do you know? Like you said you only dated for five months. How well do you really know her?”

“I just know,” I say quietly.

“We’ll discuss this when you’re fresh, but I want you to think long and hard about it. You are no longer in the minors making forty thousand a year. You’re a successful MLB player making seven figures. You have to protect yourself, not only financially but concerning your time with August. What happens when you want to take a family vacation and she says no? With nothing more than a handshake you have no real say. What about the off-season? Will you get joint custody or will she think crumbs are enough? It won’t be easy for her to share her son. She’s had him all to herself for the last eighteen months.”

I’m feeling some doubt creep in. What if she does limit my time to a few hours here and there? I want much more than that.

Mom continues, “You can’t be so trusting. Leaving everything loose and casual will only cost you, not her. What if she starts seeing someone? You think they’ll want you in their lives?”

Jealousy rips through me like a lit fuse. “I’m sure she’ll be reasonable,” I say, sounding unconvincing, even to myself.

“Are you?”

“She’s given me no reason to doubt her.”

“Yet. Listen, honey, just promise me you’ll think about it. The lawyer stressed to us that it wouldn’t be prudent to leave this up to blind faith and a handshake. You need an enforceable legal agreement.”

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