Page 20 of Until Nalia
“Hey, honey.” Gigi gets up to give the woman a hug before she turns to me. “Kristy, Aaron, this is Nalia. She’s a friend of Logan’s.” She takes a seat as she continues, not noticing what I do, that Kristy’s whole body has jerked back in surprise. “Kristy is Cooper and Billie’s mom, and Aaron is her boyfriend.”
“Nice to meet you guys,” I tell the two of them.
“Umm, you too,” Kristy murmurs while Aaron takes a seat on the bench below us with his phone, mumbling hi. “Have you seen Billie?” Kristy asks Gigi.
“Not yet, honey,” Gigi tells her, and Kristy’s face falls.
“She said she was going to find her friends when we got here,” I tell Kristy, and she focuses on me. “That was probably fifteen minutes ago.”
“Thanks,” she whispers before taking a seat next to Aaron and turning her back to me.
A few minutes later, Harmony and her husband Harlen appear at the end of the trail leading up to the fields, pulling Ava and Lillian in a wagon and I watch Zuri run up to greet them with Heather in tow. As Zuri gives hugs to the girls, I get up and tell Gigi that I’ll be back then make my way down the steps to meet them.
Once I reach my sister, I give her a hug and quickly whisper in her ear. “The woman in the dress I’m sitting with is Logan’s mom, and the woman sitting with the man on the bench beneath her is his kids’ mom and her boyfriend.”
“Got it,” she whispers back, then lets me go and wraps her arm around Zuri, who has leaned into her. “Hey, kiddo.”
“Hey.” Zuri smiles at her then reaches up to give Harlen a high five when he holds his hand up.
“Thanks for bringing them,” I tell Harlen, giving him a one-armed hug.
“I figured you might need the backup since your sister has been on one about the guy you’re dating,” he says under his breath, and I sigh.
“Thanks, and I’m not dating him.” I mutter and he grins.
“Can we take the babies over to the grass?” Zuri asks while Heather bounces on her toes at her side.
“Sure, honey,” Harmony says. “Just make sure you keep a close eye on them.”
“We will,” both girls promise, taking the handle for the wagon from Harlen and pulling it through the grass towards a tall fence that cuts off the ball field from a large green space.
“I’ll stay and keep an eye on them,” Harlen tells Harmony leaning down to kiss her. As he walks off to where the girls are, I lead Harmony up the steps to Gigi and introduce her to everyone then take a seat. A few minutes later the game starts and about ten minutes after that the Heather and Zuri help Harlen bring the babies up to us and I make more introductions.
“Can Heather and I go get something to drink?” Zuri asks, and Heather continues for her.
“My parents gave me some money, and they are okay with me just going over there by myself.” I look over my shoulder. From where we are sitting, I can see the area where the vendors are. It’s not far, and I remember being Zuri’s age and wanting to feel like I was grown enough to go places on my own without an adult.
“Sure, but you two have to stick together.”
“We will,” Zuri tells me, and I pick up my bag and start to search for my wallet.
“I got it.” Harlen passes Zuri a couple twenty-dollar bills from his pocket. “Get whatever you want and if they have any ice pops or ice cream get a couple for the girls.”
“Thanks.” Zuri smiles at him and gets to her feet with Heather, and the two of them head back down the bleachers and stop at Heather’s parents before they walk down the dirt path.
“Thank you,” I tell Harlen, and he waves me off, his attention on both the girls who are using him as a jungle gym and making the people around us laugh because they are so adorable.
I check back to where the girls are just to make sure they are okay and see them in line at one of the food trucks.
“So what team are we cheering for?” Harmony asks, and I know that’s her way of asking what team Logan coaches. I’m honestly shocked she didn’t ask earlier.
“The boys in red,” Gigi tells her then she points out Cooper who is guarding first and Logan, who just happens to have his aviators pointed our direction. “So far this season they are undefeated.”
“That’s awesome,” Harmony says while nudging her shoulder into mine. I can tell that she is dying to say something about Logan, but thankfully, with his mom and the mother of his children within earshot, she keeps whatever she wants to say to herself. Though I’m sure I’ll hear it when she gets me alone.
“Nalia,” hearing my name screamed I look to the dirt path and watch Billie running our way. My stomach instantly bottoms out, her face is pale and she looks scared. Actually, she looks terrified. Getting to my feet I quickly move past Harmony and Harlen and fumble my way down the steps of the bleachers. When I get to the bottom, she meets me out of breath.
“What happened?” I wrap my hand around hers; it’s cold despite how hot it is out today.
