Ghosts (A Christian Yelich Story)

Chapter Eighty-Nine: Etcetera

"I'm going to get ready and head to the field. Do you need anything before I go?" a shirtless and smirking Christian asked as he hovered over me in bed. He placed a few kisses on my neck before kissing my mouth.

"I'm good. I'm just going to run out and get a late lunch in a bit. I'll be at AT&T in time for visitor batting practice. Mostly to look at your butt in those pants. Although I hate that you don't usually wear high socks. Bad form, Christian."

Christian chuckled and got to his feet. "High socks make me look more like a giraffe than I already do. Want to shag some balls while the team hits?" He threw on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt, his regular athleisure look, and waited for my answer.

"No thanks. Maybe some time when I'm less pregnant with your baby, though." I smiled at him.

He laughed. "Fair! I gotta go, beautiful." He leaned down and gave me a goodbye kiss before scrambling out the door.

It was temping to not just go back to bed and sleep until I had to be at the field, but I realized I had to get out and move a little. I also really wanted food. So. Much. Food.

I knew San Francisco fairly well due to filming a couple of movies on location, so I was aware my favorite ramen place was in the area. I threw on a light dress with sandals, didn't even bother with makeup, my new third trimester norm, and left quickly. My food drive was intense. Nothing was going to get between me and a hearty bowl of ramen.

I sat alone at a table with large, dark sunglasses on my face and a history book propped open. It was after the lunch rush, so everything was pretty peaceful. It's exactly what I needed. Alone time had been hard to come by as of late. Someone always needed something, including my perfect unborn baby girl.

"Annie?" I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"James?" I responded, glancing up from my book.

"Hey!" he said excitedly, immediately sitting in the seat across from me. "I can't believe we ran into each other in the wild! What are you doing here? You look fucking amazing. Look at that glow."

I laughed. Hard. I removed my glasses dramatically. "Look at these giant bags under my eyes and this pasty, pasty skin. I look like I just went on a week-long drinking binge, and a nice old man found me wandering alone in the desert."

"Very specific. You really don't, though. You look beautiful. And shockingly skinny."

I laughed again before standing up and showing him my baby bump Vanna White style.

"It's literally just a baby in there. No additional cushion. I think you lucked out genetically," he observed.

"Hopefully I'll be able to get back to work quickly then." I sighed.

"You already have stuff lined up. You're going to have an insane career."

"My mom thinks I should quit and become Christian's doting stay-at-home wife."

James laughed. "I think you're probably twisting Norabean's words a little. She would never say that."

I was, but I was still annoyed. "She wants me to live in Milwaukee until the baby is born. She guilt trips me about it every day."

James shrugged. "That doesn't sound so bad. You'd get to be with your honey bunny, and you'd be back in Los Angeles at some point in October."

"Just in time to spend a little time in Malibu before filming Neanderthal in Australia."

"Have you told Christian about that project yet? It's a big one. You, Liam Neeson, and Daniel Radcliffe, the other love of your life. All getting cozy in Sydney."

"I'll tell him after Eloise is born. He has enough to worry about right now. He's freaking out a little because he's only batting .300  – .26 below his 2018 average."

James feigned a scream by slapping his hands on his face like Kevin in Home Alone. "Oh no! Only a .300 average before the All-Star break? How awful! I think he's going to be cut from the team. Are you ready to be a sugar momma if his money runs dry?"

I laughed. Each moment I had with James, I realized how much I missed him. He was still one of my best friends, and I hoped having a kid wasn't going to change that. "What are you doing after this?" I asked him.

"I was going to go to the Apple Store and pick up a new phone. Mine is shitting the bed. Why? What's up?"

"Want to come to the game with me?"

"And see NL MVP Christian Yelich in action? Hell yeah!"

I laughed. "Perfect! I'm still afraid and intimidated by all the wives and girlfriends, so you can be my human shield."

"Classic Annie Delaney, always using me to keep her introvert status intact. Don't worry, I'll help you make some friends. You do realize they're all probably intimidated and threatened by you, right? Famous actress, an Academy Award, rich without Christian's help, banging the MVP, having his baby, living the dream, looking good without any make up on – don't think I didn't notice – etcetera, etcetera."

"I can't see my feet when I look down."

"Oh, shut up, and let's get out of here."