FWB Friends With Baseball

World Champions pt. 3.

Jailyn~

Standing along the railing of my box suite, I watch my future husband warm up while he's oblivious to the fact that I'm here right now. My attention gets pulled as there's a handful of cheers before the in-stadium announcer starts speaking, "Joining us here at Citizens Bank Park fresh off of winning her third gold medal in the Softball World Champion series in Oklahoma City," Well, I guess, there goes my surprise entrance. Waving, I notice myself on the scoreboard as he continues introducing me, "is three-time gold medalist, Jailyn James. Congratulations, Jailyn, and the rest of the US Women's National Team on your third undefeated season and World Championship!" 

Honestly, I almost don't mind getting outed as I got to see the look on Christian's face when he heard what the announcer had to say. His glance between Lo and Ryan as he had the biggest smile on his face for a few moments before he got back into game mode. I can see him. He knows I'm here. We're just not close enough to do anything about it yet. Something about just knowing we're in the same place makes everything else seem irrelevant. 

When Christian gets to take his first at-bat in the top of the first, he takes the first pitch and sends it flying into the scoreboard. Laughing, I shake my head as I cheer for my fiance, knowing this isn't the crowd but not giving a fuck anyway. That's my fiance, and he's still one of the best players in the show. 

Christian continued to get on base every at-bat, having a phenomenal game offensively and making some noise on defense as well. While I'd like to take the credit for his success seeing as I'm not using our pool of talent, he's been pretty incredible on his own. 

I'm escorted down to the visitor's locker room to finally get to meet up with Christian for the first time in nearly six months. That's insane, six months since we'd seen each other, and now we finally get to see each other in person. As the realization of what's really about to happen hits, the butterflies in my stomach start fluttering even more than I ever thought they could be. Knowing I'm about to hug Christian has me feeling like I've got a childhood crush all over again.

Reaching the end of the main corridor, I hear the booming laughs of a few of the guys, one of which is unmistakably familiar. Smiling, I continue down, letting the security guard lead me even though all I want to do is run to find him. My stomach is still doing summersaults on itself as my feet keep this grudgingly slow pace. 

"Oh shit, Yeli," Ryan says as I see Christian and him walking with Lorenzo back to the clubhouse. "Look whose here." 

Shaking my head, I chuckle as my pace picks up, passing by the security guard's lead as I nearly jog to meet my future husband. His pace hastens like my own, the space between us closing quickly before I'm finally back home in his arms. 

Laughing into his chest, our arms are wrapped tightly around one another. Just like that, the butterflies have calmed once again as my eyes start to well up the sheer relief of knowing we get to spend the next six months with one another. Neither of us seem to care as we clog up the hallway holding one another in our tight embrace. Christian is the first to pull back as he leans down to press his lips to mine. 

Our shared kiss is much quicker than I'd have liked as he pulls away, chuckling to himself, "Why are you crying?" 

"Because I missed you, dumbass," I reply, laughing as I use my hand to wipe under my eyes quickly while he pulls me into another hug and kisses the top of my head, "and you kinda stink." 

Christian lets out a loud laugh as I giggle, still held tight into his chest, "Hey, it's hot out." Shaking my head, I laugh even harder as both of us are just completely elated to be back in each other's arms. 

Christian, Ryan, Lorenzo, and I, are all enjoying a drink as we catch up in a random Philadelphia bar. "So," Ryan starts, "How's it feel being a three-time World Champion and having our two-time MVP completely whipped?" His teasing makes me laugh, especially as I hear Christians scoff in my ear. Christian stands behind me with his arms wrapped around me as I sit in the barstool across from Ryan and Lo. I'm not sure that there's been a moment since we met back up where we haven't been holding one another in some way. 

"Leave them alone Brauny, we all know you interrupted him the night before Christian had to come for Spring Training," Lo calls him out, making me snort as I remember how pissed Christian was, "Let them get the cutesy puppy shit out." 

"You guys are dicks," I laugh, gabbing my beer and taking a drink, "Uninvited to the wedding." 

"Ohh," Ryan says, sarcastically as he rolls his eyes smiling, "That going to be sponsored by Adidas too?" 

Laughing, I pop my leg out off the footbar of the stool showing off my superstars and basic track pants, "They're paying me pretty damn well. If they want in, I might let them." The three of them laugh at the idea as I chuckle myself. "We'll see next off-season, I guess." 

"You guys are waiting that long?" Lorenzo asks, "I'd figured you guys would do something pretty quick, maybe even elope."

"That's not completely off the table," I joke.

"Yeah, it is," Christian laughs, as the guys chuckle, "I couldn't do that to my mom." Chuckling, I nod. "JJ is already the maid of honor or best man in her friend Tyler's wedding, come November." 

"Yeah," I confirm, "I didn't want to steal his thunder. That, and I didn't figure we'd get time to actually plan anything to get it finalized by the time your off-season rolls around." 

"All I know is that I can't wait for the reception," Ryan jokes, "Especially with the way you party, Jai." Scoffing, I just shake my head with a smile. "What was your homer count this season?" 

"Fifty-two," I grin, "That's $780,000 in donations that I'm giving out once everything is squared away." 

"Badass," Lo says, offering me a fist bump. "She's too good for you, bro," He teases Christian, taking a drink from his beer. "That's crazy though, good for you, Jai. That's an amazing way to do it, especially with it being sparked by a dude like Bauer. Especially since he really didn't get any major repercussions."

Nodding, I purse my lips, "I mean, that's pretty much how it goes. It sucks, but so many women can't do shit about what's happened to them, and cases like his make it that much harder for the victims to speak up. In my case, by the time I was ready to do anything, it'd have boiled to my word against his, and the best outcome would've maybe been some money or a restraining order, which itself would've been pretty hard to get. Most of the time, the system doesn't care until someone winds up dead." 

The guys just shake their heads, seemingly annoyed, knowing everything I've said is true. It's a fucked up system, and even with substantial evidence, people just don't give a fuck until someone's entire life is destroyed. Even as far removed as I am from my situation, it's infuriating knowing that I'll never get the justice I deserve and that any woman after me has to endure the same things that I did, all because I wasn't ready to speak up until it was too late.

"That's so fucked up," Ryan says, shaking his head, "Especially that that shit happened to you. You know you're damn near family to me and Lari, and it's infuriating knowing that there are people doing that shit to people like you. You're a hardass and can be bitchy," Scoffing, I roll my eyes, "But you're easily one of the kindest people I know. There's not a thing that I think you wouldn't do for someone else."

"That's kinda how it goes," I say, pursing my lips to the side slightly. "Obviously, that shit wouldn't fly now, but at the time, it was easy. I wanted to help, and he played on that. I'd been isolated from my friends and family, so I didn't feel like I had anything else outside of him. Any time I tried to leave, he'd threaten to kill himself, and by that point, I'd met almost his entire family and loved them and couldn't live with myself should he follow through. It's incredibly complex, and I wish I'd made a million and one different decisions, but it is what it is," I shrug. "Besides, I think I'm doing pretty damn well for myself now, and I've upgraded quite a bit securing this one." Reaching up, I hold Christian's jaw and squish his cheeks a little, getting a few laughs before he pushes my hand away. 

The four of us continue talking, enjoying each other's company while we catch up on the last six months since we'd gotten to see each other, the topics very quickly getting lighter than our last. Christian's arms remain around me as he holds me close the entire night.