Ship to Wreck

20

"How do you feel about Spanish names?" Gio asked Athena while holding her closely on the couch, a hand resting protectively on her bump. He couldn't wait to be a father again.

Athena smiled at her boyfriend – just so happy to have him back in her life after she thought she had lost him for good. "I would love to continue the trend," she agreed, thinking about Enzo and Gabriel and how much she loved their names. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, since she's definitely a girl, I like Aleja, Mia, and Noa," Gio responded, searching her eyes for a reaction.

"I'd be happy with any one of those, but you should really have some boy names as a backup plan," Athena laughed, cuddling even closer against the man she loved. "You never know."

"No need. Este bebe es una princesa – no un príncipe," he replied with a cheeky smile.

"You know, I kind of hope you're right," Athena added with a nod, kissing Gio gently on the mouth.

Before Gio could attempt to deepen the kiss, Athena was startled by the sound of the door opening.

"It's just Christian, love," Gio whispered in her ear, kissing her again.

Athena was about to continue making out with her boyfriend when Christian said her name rather loudly and excitedly. "Athena! I have something for you in the kitchen." Christian didn't want to see Athena expressing love toward Gio in the living room, so she would have to come retrieve her surprise.

"Groceries, hopefully? I love food," Athena chuckled, kissing Gio on the cheek before standing up to see what Christian needed her for.

Athena gasped when she saw Christian holding a wiggling beagle puppy in his long arms. "This is Sadie; she's from the Wisconsin Humane Society," he explained, smiling broadly at the look of elation and surprise on the face of the woman he loved. He was sure Gio hadn't made her smile like that today.

"The only thing better than groceries! You didn't!" she exclaimed, carefully grabbing the tiny, squirming puppy out of Christian's lanky arms before immediately covering the puppy's faces in kisses. "I love her so much. Oh my God, Sadie, we're going to do everything together and be best friends and oh my God she's so perfect," Athena ranted almost unintelligibly, so overcome with love for the small, furry creature. She had told Christian she wanted a dog when they first met, but that Kyle was too allergic.

Gio entered the room just as Athena threw her arms around her friend, puppy squirming between them. "Thank you so much."

"I just thought she'd make you feel less lonely and more protected while Gio and I are at Spring Training," he explained, loud enough for Gio to hear. That was intentional.

Gio noted the puppy and the pure joy on his girlfriend's face and glared harshly at Christian, but Christian didn't care. He had made the woman he loved so happy.

Athena didn't notice the tension, too blinded by her newfound love of her puppy. "Gio, we have another baby to raise together," she said, completely unaware of how Christian would perceive the comment. It stung.

But it made Gio feel better.

***

Christian slowly spun in a circle on a clubhouse chair, casually browsing Instagram. Nights were getting a bit lonely, so he was hoping to find someone to fill the void for an evening. That was his normal Spring Training routine. New night, new girl. Athena didn't want him, so he needed women who did. It was the only way he knew how to validate himself. How to prove he was worthwhile.

Lately, all the women he selected looked a bit like Athena . . . He just didn't realize it.

He was distracted from his search by a text from Athena. He smiled when he saw the picture of Sadie curled into a little ball of puppy on Athena's growing bump. He smiled harder when he saw a selfie of Athena's face – her expression relaxed and happy. Getting her a companion was the right decision. Christian knew that.