The Curve Ball - Samantha Lind Page 0,23
to switch us over. I head into the living room, motioning for Riley to follow me. I keep her and Evie from the view of the camera for now. I sit down on the couch just as both of my parents come into the screen.
“So, what’s up?” Dad asks me.
“Well,” I say, all of a sudden, the words escaping me on how to drop this news on my parents.
“Spit it out, Justin,” my mom says, picking up on my hesitation.
“Two nights ago, a chick shows up on my doorstep that I hung out with a few times last year with a baby. She said that I was the baby's father and that she couldn’t handle being a single parent, and she left. Derek and Jillian, along with Derek’s sister, Riley, all stepped in and have been helping me the last two days while I figure everything out. I just got the call from my attorney with the paternity test that proves that she is my daughter. He’s going to file with the courts Monday for full custody.”
“Holy shit,” my mom says, obviously shocked at what I’ve just told her.
“Would you guys like to meet your granddaughter?”
“Of course!” Mom practically screeches out. Riley hands over Evie, and I do my best to prop her up in the view of the camera. “Oh, Justin!” Mom exclaims. “She’s so precious. What is her name?”
“Evelyn, but we’ve been calling her Evie for short.”
“Congratulations, son!” Dad pipes in.
“We’ll have to come out so we can meet her,” Mom says, excitement falling off her in waves. She’s practically bouncing in her seat.
“You’re welcome to come out whenever you want. I’ve got a road trip coming up this week, but Evie and Riley will be here,” I tell them.
“What are your plans for childcare moving forward?” Mom asks.
“I’ve hired Riley as a full-time live-in nanny for now. We’re giving the live-in portion of it a month trial to make sure that it works for all of us, but with my hectic and sporadic schedule, I kind of need someone that can be here all the time or at least be here for my travel schedule.”
“That makes sense,” Dad states.
“Paul, pull out your calendar. When can we go to Indy and meet our new granddaughter?” Mom asks him, tapping him on the arm until he does as she’s asked. I watch as he pulls out the pocket calendar he still insists on carrying around and using from the breast pocket of his shirt.
“Well, with Justin leaving town, do you want to wait to head out when he’s back or show up when he’s gone?” Dad asks her. “Our calendar is fairly empty, and the few things I’ve got down are things that can be moved.”
“Oh, I’ll look and see if we can get flights for Monday or Tuesday. That way, we arrive before you leave town, and we can stay for a week or two.”
“If you want,” I tell my mom, knowing that she’s going to do whatever in the hell she wants. I also realize she’s excited to come to meet her first grandchild.
“I’ll forward you the flight info once I can get something booked.”
“Okay, but only if you let me pay for the tickets,” I tell her, giving her as pointed of a look as I can via the camera.
“You know you don’t have to pay for everything for us,” Mom chides.
“It’s the least I can do,” I remind her. They sacrificed things while I was growing up so that I could play ball. Always traveling all over the place for travel ball, shelling money out for gear, and hotels, countless meals at ball field concession stands, or on the road between fields and home. When I signed my first contract and received that first bonus for doing so, I paid off their mortgage the very next day. I also sent two brand new vehicles to their house, no option left off of either of them. My parents weren't poor, but they weren’t rolling in cash, either. We lived comfortably, and I’ll always be thankful for the life they gave me growing up. Being an only child, they devoted their lives to me and the sport I loved playing. Thankfully, that dedication paid off, and I’ve done my best to repay them in the last few years for all they did for me growing up.
“Okay,” Mom finally concedes. “I’ll put them on the card you left here.”
“Thank you. I can’t wait for you to meet Evie.