Page 96 of Despite It All
Jett sighs. I know he doesn’t know what to do about our living situation either. “Let me talk to her. We can worry about the future tomorrow. I want to spend time with you and Stevie and that’s all I’m going to think about today, okay?”
I nod. I can get on board with spending the day together, but I can’t make any promises on the worrying front. Now, I’ll admit my anxiety does seem a little more controlled with Jett. I’ve added that to the ever changing pros and cons list.
After Jett calms Stevie down, she apologizes for speaking rudely to me. I can’t find it in myself to be upset at her.All I want for her is to have a good life, how am I supposed to know if I’m making the right decision?
With a big hug, we head to the stadium and the moment Stevie’s feet hit the field she’s a changed person. The drama completely left at the front door. Oh, to be a kid and let go of all of your worries in an instant.
I scan the field and notice there’s really not a ton of kids here. Stevie’s definitely the youngest one by a few years if I had to guess.
Callie stands up from one of the tables they have set up in the outfield and waves us over.
“Hey there, Stevie, I love your outfit,” she says as we reach her.
“Watch what I can do!” Stevie starts to spin so her skirt floats around her. When she doesn’t stop, I have to catch her by the shoulders to steady her. She giggles. “I’m dizzy.”
Callie laughs back. “Yeah, I’d say so, but that was very cool in that dress.”
“What do you tell her, Stevie?”
“Thank you.” She smiles a toothy grin before reaching for Jett’s hand. “Daddy, can you play on the bases with me?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course we can.” Jett takes her by the hand, then looks at me. “You coming or do you want to stay here?”
Part of me wants to go but this morning left me feeling a little down. Some girl talk, even if it's talking about what we ate this morning, would really do me some good. “I think I’m going to stay here. Y’all have some fun.”
Jett smiles and kisses my cheek as Stevie drags him away.
Once they're out of earshot, Callie links her arm through mine. “Girl, you look too sad for someone who just got kissed by her hot baby daddy. Wanna talk it out?”
“Hell yes.”
Callie and I walk over to the stadium seats in front of first base, giving us the perfect view to watch the kids play and far enough away no one can hear us. I haven’t made a ton of headway with the other WAGs yet, the looks and whispers seem less prominent than they were at the beginning of the week, so I’ll take that progress for now.
“So, talk to me. What’s up?”
I sigh, because what’s not up? I feel like quite literally everything is up right now. I fill Callie in on my sisters and my hesitations about wanting to move here, then about Stevie getting upset at me this morning, so I feel a bit like a shitty mom even though I know I’m not.
I guess I really do need some girl talk because I word vomit all my guilt about leaving Jett five years ago and all of the stuff he missed, even though I thought I had worked through all of that already.
When I notice I’ve been talking nonstop for at least ten minutes, I stop myself. “Oh, gah. I’m sorry, that was a lot wasn’t it?”
Callie laughs. “Wyla, you’re talking to the girl who is currently unemployed, living with my older brother because our parents andmostmen are assholes. You think I’m not going to trauma dump on you? Girl, bring two bottles of wine and me and you will be crying some major tears in the dugout.”
I wanna laugh but damn if my problems don’t seem a little stupid right now.
I had asked Jett about Callie and Adam’s situation. I’d never seen his parents come to the games and Callie never stays a minute later after the game ends. But since Jett’s a guy, he doesn’t have a ton of information. He told me he knows Adam’s parents are—as Callie put it—assholes who only had kids for their image and when they didn’t fit the bill, they kicked them out of the house and cut them off.
Callie gives me a little shove. “Don’t pity me, Wyla.”
“I’m not.”
“I don’t know how to tell you this, but you wear your emotions all over your face.”
This time I do laugh. “Yeah, Jett tells me that too. Says he can see my brain getting carried away.”
I look out at the field where Jett’s tossing Stevie in the air as she “makes a homerun.” Yeah, in Aster Creek I’d be able to experience my sisters growing their families, but what about my family? It’s been me and Stevie from the beginning but it’s not just the two of us anymore.
“It’s okay to be scared, Wyla. But Jett’s got you, girl. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone more obnoxiously in love with a person as he is with you. And think of all the fun and exciting things you all could experience together.”
