chapter 10

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Christian and I had spent every day even if it was early in the morning or late at night. I taught him how to play Imagine by John Lennon which he picked up really quick. I loved waking up to him playing it filling the apartment with the beautiful notes.
"We should learn a song together, you always teach me how to play but I wanna learn it with you, "
"Well, I've always wanted to learn, your song by Elton John, " I pull up the notes and start playing the first verse of the song. Christian watches me then follows suit playing them. "And you can tell everybody this is your song. It may be quite simple but now that it's done.  I hope you don't mind." I sing leaning my head on his shoulder as he continues to play.
"You sure you have to go to work, "
"Yes I do, cause if you leave me for a supermodel ill need some way to make money, " we both laugh at my comment and I spin off the bench running upstairs to get ready.
"I'll see you tonight make sure to tune into 108.6 ill play a song for you." I run out the door it was just 10 past 9 I knew I would be a little late cause of traffic. I get there right at 9:30 happy cause that one red light I ran didn't have a camera. I look down at my phone and look at the date taking a deep breath feeling my blood go cold.
"Woah Astrid you look like you saw a ghost is everything ok, " I look up to see luke checking me
"Yeah, I'm fine crazy traffic, "
"Ok well go check your stuff and I have some notes for you on your desk, " I walk into the small recording room checking everything to make sure it worked and reading the notes. I check my top 100 playlists and change the song on track 22.

"Ok 1 2 3," I get the count and point from Luke and start my segment.
"Hello Milwaukee I'm your host Astrid today we have my weekly top 100. At exactly 30 minutes on the hour for the next 2 hours, we will be taking calls from all of you to answer this question. At what moment did they know they were the one? The number is 414-789-0088, call in with your best stories to entertain our listeners. Now time for track #100 we got no tears left to cry by Ariana Grande, " I take a deep breath as the song plays.
"That was great Astrid just remember to breathe, " I give him a thumbs up grabbing my phone.

(Text msg)
Astrid: Hey do you remember what today is?
Austin: yeah I was gonna see if you wanted to wait till after the game to go
Astrid: if it doesn't go into extra innings it'll end at around 12 am so we can go after have alone time.
Austin: Alright I'll meet you after and I'll get a bouquet of white carnations like always. Love you
Astrid: love you too

"Thank you for calling what is your name, how long have you been in love and what's your story, "hi my names Christian and I've been with this girl for a month now and I'm pretty sure she's the one and I realized that the first day I met her smile and the way she talked, her singing her heart out to John Denver. I could be help but fall in love immediately." I smile listening to him talk and feel my heart flutter.
"She's really lucky to have you, Christian, "
"Yeah, I hope she loves me as much as I love her, "
"Oh I bet she does, thanks for calling have a great day. Now here's your song by Elton John. " I click track 22 and take off my headset.
"Was that him?" luke practical runs from behind the class to the door.
"Yeah, " I sigh and try to suppress the smile I couldn't help but hide.
"Wow, It's just, crazy one of my employees is dating the MVP."
"Oh come on Christian is more than just the MVP."
"Oh, I bet, " luke scoffs spinning to walk to the break room.

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I get to the stadium at 5 p.m. and walk-in going to find me seat above the dugout. I sat down not calling out to anyone waiting for them to see him. A woman and her son sit down and I watch get his glove ready to catch some toss-ups from bp.
"Hey have I seen you before?" Christian walks up to the gates grabbing a ball off the ground and signing it for him.
"I don't know I've been to a few games."
"Well, maybe I can get your number, call you later maybe take you to dinner."
"Sure, I'd love too, " He smiled doing cheesy finger guns running into the dugout. I couldn't help but laugh at his cringy ways.
“Wow sweetheart looks like you got you a ballplayer, ” the woman beside me smiles dodging her eyes to him not running across the field then back to me.
"Yeah, I guess so, "
"My names TJ, " I look down to see the little boy smiling at me.
"My names Astrid it's good to meet you, "
"Do you wanna see my handshake, " I could feel myself falling for this kid the way he didn't focus on one thing immediately jumping to the next thing.
"Show me, " I hold my hands out and let him guide me, fist bumps and low high fives.
"Ok, boom boom bang boom bang boom."
"Yeah, we did it, " I laugh and turn in my seat realizing the stadium was now filled.

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Christian was up to bat in the 7th inning, every time he was up to bat I was on the edge. First pitch strike, second pitch fouled, 3rd pitch strike. The fourth pitch I could feel it. I watched his bat swing and the crack being so loud it made your ears ring sailing up and bouncing off the scoreboard. I jump and cheer high fiving TJ.  I smile at him as he steps on to home plate hugging brauny. He gives me a big cheesy grin and my heart flutters.

The game ends with brewers winning 7-3.
"I need to go somewhere before I can go home so ill meet you there." I grab the hanger off the hook and hang his jersey buttoning it so it doesn't fall off.
"Ok where you going,  "
" gotta go meet Austin, "
"Ok well don't stay out too late you have to work in the morning."
"Ok dad ill be home, " I laugh giving him a kiss and walking out to the clubhouse leaving him to finish changing.

I pull up to the curb behind Austin's jeep and walk to go sit beside him on the curb smoking. He holds up the flowers and I grab them.
"I still miss him, I really thought I'd be married to him with a kid or two by now," I say sniffling
"Same we all did in your junior year when you were still together dad started saving up for your wedding cause he expected JJ to propose the summer after you graduated."
"Yeah, I did too, " I blink my eyes to let the tears that were forming fall.
"Yelich seems to make you happy, "
"He does, I don't deserve him to be honest, "
"Come on let's go in, " we get up walking past the steel gate that was there just to protect from cars driving in but did nothing for people who don't mind walking in. We find JJ's headstone easily. Austin walks up and says his peace stepping back to give me my moment.
"Hey I'm back, sorry it took me so long I don't know if you're watching over me or something like that. But life going good, it really is." I feel the tears start coming and kneel down touching the name with my thumb. "I love you JJ, " I lay the roses down and blow a kiss holding myself together than falling apart as I hug Austin.

I walk into the door and find Christian passed out on the couch.
"Babe get up let's go to bed, " I put my hand on his arm and kiss his forehead. He falls onto the bed pulling the cover over him I change into some shorts and a t-shirt sliding under his arm and nuzzling up to him.

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