“Want to get a closer look?” I ask the girls. “Sometimes the players come to the netting.”
I stand and take Monroe’s hand, leading us down the aisle, then we wait at the next row down for Hazel. Penelope encourages her, and Hazel eventually weaves past the other people who are already here and joins us.
As I predicted, Easton and Decker come over on their way to the dugout.
“Making friends, Monroe?” Easton winks at her.
She shrugs. Usually Monroe is talking a mile a minute. I have no idea why she’s so quiet today. I thought she’d be talking Hazel’s ear off by now.
“You guys know Hazel,” I say, placing my hand on her head.
Decker raises his fist to knock knuckles, but Hazel doesn’t do anything.
Lincoln joins us and tries to be helpful. “Like this.” He holds out his fist and Decker hits his knuckles.
Decker keeps his hand out for Hazel, and she eventually bumps her fist against his. “There you go.”
“So tell us, who’s your favorite player?” Easton asks Hazel.
“Why is everything a competition with you?” I shake my head at him.
“Well, you broke my heart and decided to have Foster’s baby. Now I’m looking for validation anywhere I can get it.”
I tilt my head and run my hand over my stomach, which is growing by the day. “Cute.”
He winks. “I think so… sorry your guy is in the bullpen, and I heard it’s your fault he was late this morning.”
“No, it wasn’t.” My face heats.
“Something about putting too much soap in the dishwasher? I swear if it leaks down into my place, there’s gonna be hell to pay.”
My tension eases, and I’m glad to know that Foster isn’t a kiss-and-tell kind of guy. “Relax, it’s all fixed.”
The guys talk to Hazel, Lincoln, and Monroe about whether they’re excited about the game. I notice Hazel is very quiet, and Lincoln is the one leading the pack. By the time we say goodbye and go back to our seats, Penelope is up in our row. Leighton tells Monroe and Hazel to sit in front of us.
“Thanks. Maybe she’ll talk more if she’s sitting with her,” Penelope says. “I was telling Callie the move has been hard, but…”
Leighton and I nod.
“Big life changes are difficult.” Leighton pats Penelope’s leg. “I lost my cousin last year and became the guardian of these two, plus their older sister. It’s an adjustment.”
Penelope’s eyes widen.
Leighton says, “They’re doing great. It wasn’t the easiest path, but we’re figuring it out. And so will you. Sometimes it just takes longer than we’d like.”
“Aunt Callie, can I have a piece of pretzel?” Lincoln asks me, and I turn my attention to him, allowing Leighton and Penelope to talk.
Just then Hayes comes out of the bullpen with McCarthy, and they’re walking toward the dugout. He waves to Leighton, and she blows him a kiss.
“It’s rather sickening, these two,” I say to Penelope after Hayes disappears.
“It’s cute.” Penelope smiles at Leighton.
“You know who’s cuter?” Leighton interjects, and I groan. “Did you know that Foster and Callie are having a baby?”
Penelope smiles at me, but it’s one of those apologetic smiles for knowing something she shouldn’t. But it’s not her fault that social media hasn’t yet let go of Foster Davis having a baby with his catcher’s sister. “I heard.”
“As did everyone,” I say with an eye roll.
