Page 2 of Pitcher Us
You would think it would have been easy to not forget any of my things considering I randomly showed up at my brother’s door seven months ago with only one duffle bag, a suitcase, and a shred of my sanity left. Who can’t keep track of just the basic necessities? Me, that’s who.
I also can’t seem to get any of my sanity back either. I have no fucking clue what I want to do with my life. I’m twenty-five with a master’s degree from Yale that I didn’t even want and don’t intend to ever use again.
If I had any other option, my butt would have stayed in Seattle. I hate that Boston is so close to home. But I didn’t know what else to do. Right now, I’m living off my savings and mooching off my older brother, who, thank the Lord, loves me enough to not kick me out while I figure out who the hell I am when I’m not under my parent’s thumb.
My phone dings a couple more times, and I internally groan. I’ve answered about a million questions about this trade. At this point, I want to call whoever in the MLB franchise made these trade rules and scream into the speaker.
My phone starts to ring this time, and my eyes nearly roll to the back of my head. Barely moving I blindly reach for my phone, not even looking at who’s calling. “Hello,” I groan.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Stevie. Auntie Cals is in a bad mood, we’ll call her back later.” My best friend’s voice is condescending because she knows there’s no way I’d pass up an opportunity to talk to my little munchkin.
Sitting up against the headboard, I push all my negative energy down. The only teammate of my brother’s who I reallytalked to was Jett but that was mostly because of his girlfriend, Wyla. We became quick friends—my only friend, if we’re being honest. And don’t even get me started on their daughter. I worked hard to mold her sass to be just like mine. “You better let me talk to my mini me. I miss her already.”
She chuckles. “Are you in the hotel? Wanna FaceTime us?”
“Obviously.” Holding my phone out I click it over to FaceTime.
It takes a minute to connect but then Wyla's face shows on the screen. “Hi, I have someone who?—”
In a flash a little hand blocks the camera, pulling the phone out of her mom’s hands. “Hi, Auntie Cals! Why are you in bed? It’s sunshine time.”
A weak laugh bubbles out. “I’m so sleepy, Stevie Bug. I haven’t slept very much in a few days, and I had a long plane ride.”
Wyla scoots into the frame. “Remember how tired you were after our last plane ride?”
Stevie nibbles on her bottom lip as she thinks. “I guess so. I think I took a nap. Auntie Cals, did you take a nap? You should try that!”
This time my laugh feels a little lighter. “You know, I think you’re right. Are you helping your mommy get everything packed?”
This trade has completely turned everything around on me, and Wyla’s been in the same boat as they get ready to move back to her hometown since Jett decided to retire at the end of this season.
“Yes!” Stevie gives me a proud grin. “We’ve packed so many boxes that we ran out! We had to send Daddy to go get more.”
“I’m sure you did.” I give Stevie a soft smile. “You’re leaving in two days, right?”
Wyla angles the phone in Stevie’s hands so I can see her better before she says, “Yeah, I think this should be the last ‘we need more boxes’ trip I send Jett on. Lord willing. I’m so over packing, I think I’ve told him to just leave some stuff here a million times.”
Sitting up a little straighter, I snort. “You’re over packing? Try having to speed pack on Adam’s crazy time clock.”
“That man doesn’t believe in fashionably late, that’s for sure. Where are the guys now?”
“Meeting with their new general manager and hopefully getting a lead on some housing. They’ve put us in a hotel for now, but only for a week, so we gotta move fast.”
Wyla shakes her head. “The guys can easily pay for some extra nights in a hotel, Cals. Y’all have been going ninety miles an hour. I think a few days of rest will do you good.”
She’s both right and wrong. Rest sounds nice, but… “Wyla, you know damn well I can’t be stuck in the same hotel room as my type A brother for that long. We need walls! I have to hide my chaos somewhere or he will try to organize it.”
Stevie rolls her eyes and huffs, “Language, Auntie Cals.”
“I know, I know.” Stevie is a stickler for cursing. Adam and I get reprimanded quite a bit.
Before anyone else can say anything Adam bursts into the hotel room. “Callie, get your ass up and get ready.”
“Language, Adam!” Stevie yells through the speaker making Wyla laugh.
Adam stomps up and grabs my phone. “I thought I escaped the curse word police. Go yell at your dad.”
I don’t have to see the phone to know she just rolled her eyes at him. Stevie’s four going on fourteen. “Daddy’s not here, he’s getting boxes.”
