Page 143 of At the Edge of Surrender

“Hey, what about me? Ifoughtyou told me I was really super fast?” Maci shouted from third, dancing on her little bare feet on the grass like she was about to suggest a race against Otto to prove herself.

“Right, what I meant to say was ‘your second fastest team member’,” River corrected.

“Good call, Uncle River!” she shouted back.

Joy all over her face, Raven stuck her hands out like she was going to physically stop me from making it to second. “Hurry, Otto!”

I barely touched the tip of my toe to the plastic base the second before she caught the ball out of the air.

“She’s safe,” Theo called, and I did my own little dance.

“Ah, a show boater, I see.” Amusement shook Kane’s head where he stood on the ‘mound’ that was another plastic plate.

“Just celebrating the little things in life,” I told him, feeling too free. The laughter still in my chest as Raven jostled her elbow into my side, totally playful like she was going to push me off.

“Don’t even try it, Auntie Raven!” Nolan sang from where he’d stepped up to kick. “No cheatin’. We gotta play fair and square.”

“Never would I dare,” she said, grinning over at me as she knocked my hip with hers.

Kane acted like he was winding the ball up, swinging his arm round and round, though he released it gently and sent it rolling in a perfect line toward Nolan.

Nolan ran forward and kicked it with all his might, which basically sent it right back to where Kane stood.

He went running, screeching with his hands over his head. Kane acted like he was going to throw it at him as hard as he’d done to River in the last inning, but he purposefully sent it over the top of his head and rolling across the yard.

Nolan threw his head back, his soft curls bouncing around him as he cracked up. “Missed me, Uncle Kane!”

“Ah dang! You’re just too fast for me.”

“That’s because I gotta leave you in the dust.”

“What? Leave me in the dust? That’s rude! And here I thought I was supposed to be your favorite uncle.”

Otto ran up, acting like he was going to block Nolan from getting to first, but stumbled to the side as if he’d tripped.

Nolan cackled as he stomped victoriously on the base.

Warmth spread.

A wild tugging at my chest.

All these fierce, brutal men who were so gentle with these kids.

I watched the whole thing go down as I jogged to third.

Third where my sweet, precious girl was still prancing on her feet as I made it to her base.

She wrapped those little arms around my thigh as she beamed up at me.

“Hi, Auntie Em,” she peeped.

I ran my palm down the back of her head, that tugging back in full force, my words thin as I whispered, “Are you having a good time?”

“I’m having the bestest time in my whole life.Fankyou for bringing me here because I had a whole lotta people I’s supposed to meet.”

My chest squeezed. “I’m so happy you like it.”

“Are you ready for this?” Charleigh called as she moved up to kick.

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