Way To Go Tiger

Chapter 4

Travis's POV

I stepped out of the car, feeling the familiar crunch of gravel beneath my cleats as I walked toward the practice field at St. Joe's. The Kansas City sun was already blazing, casting long shadows over the turf, but I barely felt the heat. My mind was still back in that hospital room, replaying the image of Taylor holding Ivy, her tiny fingers gripping Taylor's thumb like she'd never let go.

I wasn't even a few steps in before I reached for my phone. Ivy. Taylor. My whole world had changed overnight, and I was walking into camp with a new energy, a new purpose. But before I could get too far, I heard someone call out.

"Yo, Kelce!"

It was Patrick Mahomes, already warming up with a football in hand, grinning like he knew exactly what was coming next. He jogged over, Brittany by his side.

"You made it, man!" Pat said, clapping me on the back. "Heard congratulations are in order."

Brittany smiled. "Pat told me this morning—how's Taylor doing? And the baby?"

I didn't need much prompting. My phone was already out, the lock screen a photo I'd snapped before leaving the hospital: Taylor asleep in bed, Ivy snuggled against her chest, both of them bathed in soft morning light. It was the kind of picture that hit me square in the chest every time I looked at it.

"Check this out," I said, my voice proud as hell.

Pat leaned in, his eyebrows shooting up. "Man, look at that! She's a stunner, just like her mom."

Brittany grinned, swatting Pat on the arm. "Ivy, right? She's precious, Travis. How's it feel being a dad?"

"It's... incredible," I said, a little choked up. "Ivy's tiny but strong, and Taylor—she's just, man, she was a warrior through the whole thing. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."

Pat shook his head, his smile softening. "You're a lucky man. Sounds like you've got it all figured out."

"Trying to, at least," I laughed, but I couldn't deny the truth in his words. I *was* lucky.

Brittany gave me a warm smile before heading off, and Pat slapped my shoulder once more before we parted ways. As I walked across the field, I saw more of the guys gathering near the locker room—Frank Clark, Chris Jones, and some of the rookies were stretching and getting hyped up for practice.

Chris noticed me first, a big grin spreading across his face. "Ayy, there he is! Mr. Family Man! Heard you had a little Kelce now, huh?"

I grinned. "Yeah, man. Baby girl was born just last night."

"Let's see the pics!" Frank shouted, walking over. The rest of the guys weren't far behind.

I scrolled through my phone, showing them a picture of Ivy sleeping in the hospital bassinet, wrapped snugly in a soft pink blanket.

"Man, she's a cutie," Chris said, leaning closer. "Looks like she's already got you wrapped around her little finger."

"Already, huh?" Frank laughed. "Bet you're soft as hell now, Kelce."

I laughed, knowing they were right. "What can I say? She's my world now. Taylor, too."

"You bring them home yet?" one of the rookies asked.

"Not yet," I said, locking my phone and slipping it back into my pocket. "But I got them a place here on campus for when they're discharged. I want them close. Can't be too far from them, you know?"

"Smart move," Pat called from across the field, tossing the football back and forth. "Kelce's gonna be running back and forth between camp and dad duty."

The guys chuckled, but I didn't mind the ribbing. They all knew what it was like, having families of their own. I could feel the camaraderie, the support, even though we were all about to grind hard on the field.

"You ready to show off for your girls now?" Chris teased, nudging me.

"You know it," I said with a grin. "Gotta give Ivy something to brag about when she's old enough to understand."

Coach Reid was making his way over, clipboard in hand, and the guys started to break off into their warm-ups. But before he got too close, Coach spotted me and nodded with a smile that softened his usually serious expression.

"Travis," he called out. "Heard the good news."

"Yeah, Coach," I said, feeling that mix of pride and gratitude well up again. "Taylor and Ivy are doing great."

Coach smiled, a rare but warm gesture from him. "Glad to hear it. You just let us know if you need any time for family. But for now—" He tapped his clipboard, the smile turning into his usual game face. "Let's get to work."

I nodded, feeling the familiar pull of the field, the competition, but this time it was different. Every play, every block and catch, it was all for them now. For Taylor. For Ivy.

As I jogged to join the rest of the guys for practice, I could still feel the weight of my phone in my pocket, the pictures of my girls with me. I had a job to do here, but at the end of the day, my heart was with them, and knowing they'd be close—that was all the fuel I needed.