Page 21 of I Survived and will rise again

As she shudders in my embrace, I hold her as close to me as possible, trying to offer whatever comfort I can.

CHAPTER 8

Sadie

“Why is it so hot in Wisconsin, for fuck's sake?” Tia complains, pouring a bottle of water over her head.

She's not kidding. The sun is hot as hell. I can feel the intensity of the blazing sun on my skin. The heat is almost too much to bear, but maybe it feels worse because I'm pregnant.

Ash and Donnie approach us on the field. They are clad in Nike shorts and tank tops, with baseball caps on their heads and Oakley sunglasses shielding their eyes from the sun. As they draw nearer, Ash remarks, "I thought you were from the island?"

"Listen, smart ass." Tia's frustration from being in the heat is evident in her voice. "I was a freaking baby when I moved to Milwaukee. And even if I wasn't, why would I want to hang outside in this heat that feels like an oven?" Her retort only succeeds in amusing Ash, who breaks out in laughter.

Which only pisses Tia off even more.

"And by the way, weren't you two assholes supposed to be here like twenty minutes ago?" Tia says in an annoyed tone.

Ash tosses a large black bag toward the catcher's mound and flashes her an easy smile and a wink.

Tia rolls her eyes.

"Hey, were you really waiting that long?" Donnie's strong arms envelop me as he pulls me into his chest and looks down at me. His blue eyes are obscured by his polarized shades.

"No, she's just overreacting. She doesn't like the heat too much." I glance back to see Tia glaring at Ash and downing the last of her water in frustration.

Ash walks over to Tia while carrying a bat and a mitt. He holds them toward her and asks, "Bat or catcher?"

Tia grins and says, "Bat" as she takes it from him.

I giggle and ask Ash, "Are you sure it's a good idea to give Tia a bat?"

At first, Ash looks confused, but then his face lights up with a broad smile when I say, "Just imagine what a feisty Puerto Rican in the heat with a bat can do when she's pissed off!"

“I’m not some damn dog, Sade!” Tia snaps.

Ash wiggles his eyebrows at Tia and sprints toward the catcher’s mound. "Let's play ball!" he hollers, his eyes twinkling.

"Baby, you pitch, and I'll catch," Donnie says, planting a kiss on the tip of my nose and handing me the glove. When I look up at him, he smiles. "Just like when we were kids," he adds, jogging behind me and taking the shortstop position.

Tia sways her hips and sticks her tongue out at Ash as she makes her way to the mound. Ash seems to be saying something to her. Whatever it was, it makes her blush. Looks like my girl Tia is sexually frustrated, and Ash is the trigger.

I give Tia a confident smirk and say, "Alright, let's get this show on the road! Batter up!"

Tia steps up to the plate, holding her bat with both hands and swinging it a few times to warm up. She angles the bat over her shoulder, slightly bends her knees, and shakes her ass in front of Ash. She glances over her shoulder and blows him a kiss. He catches it and blows her one back.

I shake my head in amusement and take my position at the pitcher's mound. I tuck the ball into my mitt and move my hips to get into the right rhythm and mindset.

"Yeah, Shorty. Shake that ass!" Ash's voice reverberates across the field.

"Stop looking at her ass!" Donnie quickly yells back.

"Would you all shut the hell up so my girl can throw the damn ball!" Tia hollers.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I extend my arm as far as possible, feeling the ball's weight in my hand. I let the ball fly, watching it soar. Tia swings the bat with all her might, but she misses.

"Strike one!" Ash shouts as the ball whizzes by.

Tia grins sheepishly. "Fuck off. That was me warming up." She shrugs.

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