“Is soccer your favorite sport?”
He shrugs the shoulder that isn’t in a sling. “I like all sports. It’s my favorite to play. Mommy won’t let me play hockey until I’m bigger.”
“Well, maybe you should listen to your mom,” I tell him.
“She said when I get better, she’ll take me to a game.”
I turn to Cassie and she is already waiting with what I need. A bright green stuffed turtle.
“Well, maybe this will keep you company until you can come to the game.”
Mikey takes the turtle from me with a happy look on his face. “Can you sign my cast? Please?”
“Sure thing.”
I turn around, asking for a marker, and Piper hands one over. Her phone is in the other hand, snapping pictures.
I know she’s doing this so we can post about our relationship on social media. But her doing it instead of the reporters feels different.
Almost like she’s proud of me. I scrawl my signature on Mikey’s cast and take a picture with him.
“Thanks, Cash!”
“Anytime, Mikey.”
“C’mon, let’s go back so you can meet the rest of the players,” the nurse calls to him.
The rest of the afternoon is just like this. Little kids chattering my ear off. Hearing all about favorite sports, TV shows, and annoying siblings. Passing out the stuffed animals that our fans brought to the game.
All of the guys are loving this. It’s hard not to when the kids are so joyful, even though they’re in the hospital.
Piper gets in on it, answering questions the kids ask her and handing out stuffed animals to any kid that’s there.
By the time the day ends, instead of being exhausted, I’m on a high.
“Who knew you were so good with kids?” Cassie sidles up to me as we leave the hospital. “Everyone was telling me how great you did in there.”
I shrug a shoulder, brushing off her praise. “Kids are easy. They don’t yell at you when you mess up.”
“Sorry, Cash. That’s my job.” Cassie pats me on the shoulder. “Enjoy your night.”
“You too.”
Piper is waiting outside for me in the cool evening.
“You were great today,” Piper tells me as I walk up to her.
It means more to me coming from her. “I told you; kids are easy for me.”
Piper is beaming at me. “Cash, they loved you. It was incredible to see.”
I look around. The city is bustling around us as people are coming and going at the early evening hour.
Something about this day makes me not want it to end. Whether it’s from having a good day, spending time with the kids, or Piper, it has the next words spilling from me before I can stop them.
“Want to grab a drink?”
“Yes,” she answers with no hesitation.
