I’m not sure why I’ve been so unreasonably excited to share more of our story with you, but over the last six months, I’ve thought of you every day, counting down until we could talk again, this time without limits. Bizarre, I know, but you saved my daughter’s life, and I’m dying to get to know you better. I was so excited to get your actual first name and direct email, and I swear I’m not a creeper! LOL. Although, I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that I am. This situation with Everly has taken over my life in every possible way, up to and including my obsession with her bone marrow donor.
His daughter’s name is Everly! He’s as obsessed with me as I am with him! Now I’m swooning.
I guess maybe my unreasonable excitement has to do with the bond we now share in the form of a wild little three-year-old who’s still here because of you. She’s thriving because of you. She has a chance to grow up and fall in love and have a life because of you. I get very emotional when I think about what you did and what it’s meant to us. I’m just so freaking grateful. I enclosed some recent photos of her so you can see her adorableness for yourself.
Okay, enough about me being a weird, creepy, grateful, stalker dad…
I laugh at his summary, loving him more with every word I read. I scroll down to look at the pictures because I’ve been dying to see the face of the child I helped to save. And oh, my heart. She’s absolutely perfect.
About me—I’m a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.
That’s it! That’s how I know him! He’s not just a pitcher, though. He’s a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher who won twenty-one games two years ago, including a near-perfect game that was scuttled in the ninth inning when one of his teammates fumbled a routine grounder. I know this because I’m a huge baseball fan. My dad and I have been following the Miami Marlins since I was a little kid, back when they were known as the Florida Marlins.
My life is pretty crazy, and it became more so when my ex-girlfriend and I had Ev. That turned into a bit of a nightmare when I found out she was partying with other guys while I was on the road. The wife of one of my best friends on the team was able to prove that she was leaving baby Ev alone, sometimes for a couple of hours, while she went out. I can’t even think about that without losing my mind. That led to me getting sole custody of my daughter just as my career was really taking off. Good times, those were. Fortunately, my parents decided to retire early and move to live next door to us. They help me with Ev while I’m on the road. I don’t know what I’d do without them, especially since she got sick.
I lost almost all of last season due to her illness. My team was amazingly supportive, and I’m super thankful to them, too. Not only did they continue to pay me while I wasn’t able to play, they made sure Ev had the best of everything—from doctors to private nurses and every form of support they could think to throw my way. It’s funny how your priorities change when the person you love most is sick. Before her illness, I couldn’t imagine missing a start, let alone most of a season.
I have a whole new relationship with gratitude after what we’ve been through. My mom thinks I have a form of PTSD since Ev’s illness because I’m constantly worried about her relapsing or some other disaster striking. I hover over her to a ridiculous degree and overreact to every sneeze, sniffle and bruise. The team doctor hooked me up with a therapist, who’s been a big help to me as we adjust to life after crisis. As you mentioned in your last email, we were VERY careful this year. No one outside our family was allowed to be with Ev, and yes, today is also the day when we can lift those restrictions and get back to living. We’ll do so cautiously at first, of course, but we’re both ready to get back to “normal,” whatever that is. She can’t wait to go to the playground and to eat out in a restaurant, which is one of her favorite things to do.
I’m not sure why I’m telling you all this. I guess it’s because I feel such a connection to you, and not only because of what you did for Everly (and me), but because of our earlier emails.
Okay, I’ve probably said enough. Too much, actually. Haha. I won’t be offended if you decide to never respond to me again, but I’ll be sad to not have the chance to get to know you.
I’ll stop now. Please write back.
Love,
Austin
I devour his every word and am smiling like a loon by the time I get to the end. I look at the photos of Everly again, and then I google him because I can’t remember what he looks like.
When his picture pops up, I go stupid in the head as my eyes bug and my mouth hangs open. Thank God no one is there to witness my reaction to hot male perfection.
He has brown hair shot through with natural blond highlights, gorgeous blue eyes, a great smile and a body to die for, with sleeve tattoos on his arms and diamond studs in both ears. I can’t. I just can’t. Look away, that is. I stare at pictures of him in and out of uniform, with and without shirts. He has intricate tattoos on his chest that stop just short of the base of his neck and cover most of the available skin on his torso. I’ve never been a big fan of that much ink, but on him it’s just… Wow. My heart beats in a wild rhythm that has to be unhealthy.
Who cares about what’s healthy at a moment like this?
I call Carmen and put her on speaker.
“Did he write to you?” She and Dee are the only ones who know today is the day I might hear from him.
“He sure did.”
“What did he say?”
“Google Austin Jacobs, the baseball player.”
I hear her clicking away on her laptop. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up!”
“Right?” I’m screeching, but I can’t seem to stop any of this. It’s complete madness, and I don’t care. This is so not me. I’m always careful and reserved, especially since Scott, and here I am losing my mind over a man I’ve never met.
“He’s the father of the child she donated to,” Carmen says. “I’m filling in Jason.”
“He’s a superstar,” I hear Jason say. “I saw him pitch against the Yankees, and he was lights out.”
“Mari? Are you still there?” Carmen asks.
“I’m here.”
“What did he say in his email?”
I read it to her, absorbing every delicious word all over again, and copy the pictures of Everly to text to her.
“Oh, wow,” Carmen says on a long breath. “That’s amazing! And Everly is so cute!”
“What do I do?”
“Write him back!” Carmen says, laughing. “You know you’re dying to!”
“Ugh, I’m dying all right.”
“Do it, Mari. You have nothing to lose. The man adores you. How could he not after what you did for him and his daughter?”
“I’m all… invested. At an unhealthy level.”
“Of course you are! You saved his child’s life. Before you exchanged a single word with him, you were at a whole other level with this guy.”
How can I explain how his words have slayed me, the way he talks about his daughter, how big his love is for her… That’s what’s gotten to me the most.