The Keeper of Wickets

14 months of what?

A few months flew by like a bird upon the wind. Before we know it, September is staring us dead in the eye and very soon we all have cricket to play. Rehab is killing me, my whole world has been flipped upside down and I didn't realise the true extend of my injuries until I tried to tie my hair ribbon, thankfully my rehab hasn't taken as long as the doctors originally thought. I've been given a few simple exercises that will help to develop my fine motor skills just a little more. The Australian coaches and selectors have asked me to attend a meeting regarding my future as a cricketer, as much as I believed I would be playing this summer, chances are I'm more likely to be running water than keeping wicket.

"Okay, Daisy, Dylan, welcome back, we're glad to see you've recovered. Must have been pretty traumatic? I know the cricket Australia family didn't know how to handle it." Mr Wallace smiles, this is bad news.

"Yeah, was a bit but all good now, things to do, games to play you know the drill." I reply confidently.

"We've been tracking your process and the development of your body this year Daisy, and we have been very impressed to say the least but what happened to you isn't something that takes 4 months to get over." Mr Harrison explains.

"What are you saying?" I feel the colour drain from my face.

"Listen Daisy, we think it's best that you take the next 14 months off, so you're fully ready to come back to cricket." Belinda says.

My head falls into my hands; "and what the hell do you suggest I do in fourteen bloody months?"

"I don't know, train, gain back the strength you lost, anything that feels right." Mr Wallace suggests.

"Feels right? What feels right is playing cricket not watching Jesus, just let me play." I rebut.

"Daisy this isn't up for discussion, we aren't taking you on, but next Australian summer we have a spot already secured for you, that's a promise." Mr Harrison confirms.

"Righto, Dylan we're done here, let's go." I rise to my feet and walk out.

"Daisy hold on." He chases after me. "I have an idea."

"How can they do this? This is my life, my entire future, how can just sit around and do nothing?!" I bellow.

"Can you hear me out please?" He cocks an eyebrow at my childish behaviour.

"Sorry, fire away."

"What about we don't do nothing, what if we make the most of this and use at least 9 of those months." He shrugs and we fall silent.

My mind stops. It doesn't spin, it stills and suddenly it's clear. I bit my wobbling lip and look up at Dylan.

"You're crazy!" I smile softly.

"You're crazy too, you're considering it." He says, he isn't lying.

I swallow hard, I've been thinking about this for a while, long before I was hit in the head, long before we were married, now here we are both wanting it but both so scared.

"It's going to change our entire lives Dylan, you'll have two people to miss instead of just one." I tell him.

"What a privilege." He replies.

I put my arms around his waist and press my forehead against his chest.

"We don't have to Daisy, it was just a suggestion for adventure." He chuckles.

"Okay." I whisper.

He pushes me out, gripping my shoulders, his eyes the size of dinner plates.

"Pardon?"

"Okay." I mutter.

"Daisy don't do this to me." He blinks.

"Dylan," I cup his cheeks, "lets start a family, it might be the last chance we get for a while so let's do it."

He kisses me, passionately and lovingly. He draws me close to his chest, caressing my hair and holding my head.

"You always make my dreams come true." Dylan whispers, and I smile.

-

12 WEEKS LATER

I sit on the bathroom bench top, tapping my fingers against the marble. Dylan is propped up in the empty bath, his legs crossed and heart pounding.

"It's impossible it'll be negative." I say. Dylan looks up from his phone.

"You can't control that Daisy." He sighs.

"Well I can, I did play 50% of the part my friend." I smirk.

"You're very funny, now shh and let me be nervous."

I can tell he's scared, so I clamber into the empty bath with him.

"You definitely want this don't you Dylan?" I question.

He shuts off his phone and rests it on the stool, "more than anything in the world."

"Then why are you nervous?" I ask.

"We wanted to play cricket our whole life, it was our number one dream, how nervous were you when you played your first match for Australia?"

"Well, I threw up twice before I even got out there." I say.

"Exactly, now you know how I feel." He explains.

"You're gonna be a great father Dylan-"

"Dot, I have a whole life in my hands. This baby is my responsibility, my job, it's important that I don't screw this up and I'm questioning myself more than I did the first over I bowled for Australia, I'm just not sure about me." He grips my hands.

"We have a whole life in our hands. This baby is our responsibility, our job, it's important that we don't screw this up, get where I'm going?" I explain.

He nods.

"The baby will be ours, we are the ones that get to love and cherish it, and here's the best part, I get to do it with you, I'll be right here helping you through it all." I reassure.

He kisses my lips, "Go and check the bloody test before I go mad."

I lean over and grab the test, I look down at it and just like that my whole life changes.

My hand flies over my gaping mouth and tears well in my wide eyes.

"Yes or no?" Dylan holds his breath.

I nods vigorously.

"YES! YES!" He jumps to his feet and picks me up in his arms.

"IM GONNA BE A DAD! IM GONNA BE A DAD!" He chants kissing my lips.

"I'm having a child with the most beautiful woman in the world." He whispers, never have I felt more loved.