About the Boy || Cody Bellinger

Thirteen

Madeline's POV- June 2017

Dad turned to me as his dog, Rocky bolted after the ball I had just thrown out to the field. Where exactly was I? I was at the park with my dad, it was a little tradition we had. Every time he came to visit we would come to this exact park and play catch. We had been here for about ten minutes, and so far dad had yet to speak. He was just watching me play catch with his dog.

"I'm pretty sure Rocky thinks you're the best person in the world"

I smiled and looked at him.

"Your mom tells me you're seeing someone"

"I'm proud of you dad, you contained yourself" I stated.

He just shrugged.

"We talk on the phone every other day, and you managed to hide that from me"

"I didn't hide it, I just didn't know how to bring it up" I said.

"Well what's his name?"

"Mom hasn't told you anything?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Nope, she wanted you to tell me"

I nodded.

"His name is Cody" I began saying.

"What does he do for a living?"

I bit my lip as I watched Rocky make his way over. 

"You have to promise not to freak out" I told him.

He looked at me and began shaking his head

"Oh god, is he in a band? Because I won't allow that Madeline"

It was a fear I never understood, but in my dad's head I'd fall in love with a drummer of an indie band. I would be so in love, I would just drop everything I was doing to be one of his groupies. He had a dream about this a few years ago, and for some reason he was convinced it might actually happen. 

"He is not in a band" I informed him.

"So what does he do for a living?"

"He's a professional athlete" I answered.

Rocky placed his tennis ball full of his drool on my hand and waited for me to throw the ball. He even sat on his bottom as I took my time to throw the ball.

"Be more specific here"

"He plays for the Dodgers" I explained as I threw the ball and watched Rocky bolt after it.

I raised an eyebrow at him as dad let out a sigh of what seemed to be relief.

"Oh thank god"

"This is weird" I noted when I saw him smiling.

Dad never smiled, not when it came to me dating guys. He hated my exboyfriend (because no one dumps his baby girl!), and he always made sure to emphasize that I should focus on school. Guys would come and go, but an education wouldn't. The only men he trusted in my life were my old roommates, Jon and Manny. Jon because he was dating Mel, and Manny because he was going to be a doctor one day. 

"I actually know his father, Clay"

Of course he did, he knew everyone in the baseball world.

"We've actually been trying to get you two to meet, but you're never in Arizona at the same time"

That made sense considering I was home in Arizona during the summer and Cody was probably home during his offseason, which was during winter. 

"What time does his flight get in?"