I go to bed early and keep my phone handy. I try to only check my email for new messages every fifteen minutes, but in reality, it’s more like once a minute. Okay, it’s really every ten seconds, but don’t judge me. You’d be checking, too. Who am I even talking to right now?
“You need to chill the hell out, girl. You’re getting way down the road with this guy you’ve never met.” Staring up at the ceiling I painted a pale pink, I try to talk myself down off the high I’ve been on since receiving the new message from him.
I force myself to close my eyes and breathe for five full minutes.
When I open them, I see it’s actually only one minute later. Naturally, I check my email again.
Speaking of creepers.
A new message pops up from Austin, making me gasp as I give new meaning to the term all thumbs. I fumble to open the message without accidentally deleting it. Because that would be tragic.
Dear Maria,
I loved your message and hearing about your family. Is there a diagram you use to help new people keep them all straight?! If there is, I need it! Your family sounds amazing, and I love that you work in a free clinic. I imagine your work is essential to so many people in your community, and the restaurant looks awesome. (Is it weird that I checked out the menu online, and I want a Cuban sandwich like right now!?) I have two brothers as well—Asher and Carter. Ash plays for the Iowa Cubs, a farm team for the Chicago Cubs, and Carter is in college at Florida State, but he plays, too, and is hoping to go pro when he graduates next year. We grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and as you might be able to tell, baseball was a big part of our lives. (Duh—haha.) My dad was our coach, and his goal is to see all three of us in the majors. So far, he’s one for three, but my brothers have all the talent. Sometimes it’s more about luck and being in the right place at the right time than it is about talent. I’m so hopeful they’ll both get there eventually. And yes, I pitched in Miami three years ago. Were you there?! How cool would that be?
I’m really close to my brothers, and they, too, were a huge source of support when Ev was sick. We’ve also got an amazing group on the O’s. Many of them—and their wives—have become like family to us since Ev was sick. They stepped up for me and her in so many ways, big and small.
Anyway, see how it always comes back to Ev being sick with me? That’s the stuff I’m working through with the therapist. She says it’ll take time, and after a while, every road won’t automatically lead me back to the trauma anymore. As you can tell, I’m not there yet. I keep telling myself how lucky I am, and believe me, those aren’t just words. I’m incredibly lucky, most particularly because a wonderful woman named Maria Giordino in Miami was a perfect match for my baby. I’m thankful for that—and for you—every day. And I appreciate that you prayed for us. That’s so amazing to hear.
Couple of things you didn’t tell me—are you married? Do you have kids? Can you send me a picture of you since you can google me? Did you google me? Tell me the truth. LOL.
Well, I need to hit the hay, as my coach says. We’ve got an early flight to Detroit in the morning for a four-game series with the Tigers, followed by three games with KC and four with Seattle. I’ll do the math for you—that’s eleven days away from my baby. My parents stay with her while I’m away, but I miss her so much when I’m gone. Thank GOD for FaceTime!
Oh, and one more thing—if you write to me, I’ll always write back. Remember what I said the first time we “talked”? You’re family now. If you’d rather text me, that’s cool. See my phone number below. Feel free to use it.
Love,
Austin
Oh my God, he gave me his phone number, which I promptly program into my phone. I find the picture Carmen took of me when we were out shopping the other day. I don’t always like pictures of myself, but I don’t hate that one. My curly dark hair isn’t huge from the South Florida humidity like it so often is, and we’d had our makeup done as a trial run for the wedding. I look as good as I ever do, so I set up a text with the photo before I can talk myself out of it.
Will write back more tomorrow, but this is me. Not married, no kids, and yes, I googled the hell out of you. I enclose the laughing and kissy-face emojis and send the message. I’m giddy off the high of talking to him.
He writes right back with the eyes-bugging emoji on its own, followed by another text:
WOW. You’re BEAUTIFUL. But I already knew that. Write back to me tomorrow. I’ll be waiting. Love, Austin
Drop the mic. I’m dead. How will I survive until I can talk to him again? Better yet, how will I sleep?
Chapter 3
AUSTIN
I’m glued to my phone from the second I take my seat on the ass-crack-of-dawn flight to Detroit. I’m pitching the third game of our series with the Tigers, so I’ve got a couple of days to chill and prep for my next start. In other words, I have time to obsess over that picture Maria sent me. I can’t stop staring at her gorgeous face and sexy smile.
She said she’s not married, but she didn’t mention whether she’s single.
I hope she is, because my obsession with her grows with every message we exchange.
Trust me, I know this whole thing is nuts. I can’t fall for the woman who donated bone marrow to save my kid’s life. Can I? No, I can’t, but that’s kind of what’s happening, if I’m being honest.
The one good thing about an early-morning flight is no one is in the mood to chat, which is fine by me. I spend the first hour rereading the messages she and I have exchanged so far, getting the same high off the rereads that I got the first time around. She’s a warm, sweet, beautiful woman, and the fact that I’m developing a world-class crush on her shouldn’t come as any surprise to me.
She saved my child’s life. How could I not love her? But aside from that momentous fact, I’m crushing on her, Maria, not my child’s donor. It’s almost like she’s become two separate people to me. Sure, I met her because she donated, but after getting to know her a bit, I like her for a million other reasons.
I wonder what time she gets up and how soon I might hear from her, seeing as this is a workday for her. The ball is in her court, so to speak, but that doesn’t mean I can’t message her again in the meantime, does it?
No, it doesn’t, and yes, I know this is starting to resemble middle school when the “should I or shouldn’t I” debate over girls occupied ninety percent of my brain cells, thus my lousy grades.
I want to talk to her some more, so I call up the last message I got from her last night and hit Reply.
Hi there,
I know it’s your turn, but I didn’t want to wait to talk to you some more. I’m on the flight to Detroit, and rereading our messages. I gotta be honest—waiting to hear from you is a bit torturous.
I sound like such a pussy, and I don’t even care. What does that tell you?
What time do you have to be at work? What are your days like at the clinic? Oh, and one more question… You said you’re not married, but you didn’t say whether you’re single. Are you? Just in case you were wondering the same thing about me, I am. No girlfriend, no friends with benefits, no nothing since I broke up with Ev’s mother. She kind of turned me off anything to do with women and dating.