Married To Baseball

The Core Four.

Jailyn~

"@JailynJames: Before the next clickbait happy 'news' outlet picks it up, Christian and I are better than ever. Him being added to my 'Do not Ask' list has nothing to do with us but everything to do with unprofessional journalists. When I'm promoting launches, I'd like to speak about those. Not just my relationship."

Hitting tweet, I clear the air before anyone can spark any rumors. The media has always had a field day with me and Christian. I can't imagine what they'd do with this, especially now that Christian and I are both in season and can't physically see each other. Honestly, I don't know if I should be frustrated it's gotten to this point or relieved that I'm only going to have to talk about my job and promotions from now on.

While I finish tying my braids, there are a couple of knocks on my door before Carly lets herself in, "The way you're peaking in your career, and people still want to act like your boy toy is that interesting."

"I'd argue the peaking point, but the bar I'm setting this year is already impossible to match, let alone beat," I joke back, ignoring the boy toy comment. "Not even that, though, but my Adidas deal and the exclusive drop I just had with DeMarini have been insane on top of my numbers. No one thought I could top 2021, yet here I am in three years later on pace to do just that."

"God, we get it you're successful," Carly teases, falling onto my bed, "That's not entirely what I wanted to talk to you about, though."

Furrowing my eyebrows, I sit in the velvet upholstered chair across from her in the corner of my room. "What's up?"

"We gotta talk about Maddy," Carly starts, not really alleviating my confusion. "Do you know what's up with her? Cause she's been off lately and hasn't come out with us in like a month."

Has it really been a month? Thinking back on the handful of times we've been out recently, she has been missing from the core group. "You're right," I agree, thinking back on how she always came up with some excuse to not come, "She hasn't said anything to me."

"Me neither," Carly adds, "She was talking to that one guy for a while, Chase, I think it was."

"Right," I comment, thinking about if I'd noticed anything recently, "I'll be honest Carlz, you're the only one I've gotten to really talk to outside of going out. That's only because you show up unannounced whenever you please."

"Yeah, because your ass is too busy otherwise," She teases, "If I don't just show up, you'd never find time for me."

"I know I'm a dick, we get it," I joke, laughing along with her, "It's more unintentional than it probably looks."

"Shut up, you know I don't care," Carly laughs, "But seriously, I think Maddy is leaving the team."

"Hold up. That's a bit extreme, don't you think? Just because she's not going out with us doesn't mean she's leaving."

"No, but me overhearing her yacking her brains out, then coming back pretending nothing is going on, on top of her not coming out with us, makes me wonder if she's got something bigger going on," Carly insinuates, nodding her head to the side.

Squinting slightly, I connect the dots she's laying out as I think of anything I've noticed, "So you're thinking she's pregnant?"

"It's just a guess, but yeah, that's what it seems like," Carly confirms.

"Damn," is all I've got to say. That's insane to think that Maddy might be leaving too. The team's already a shell of what it used to be with everyone going off to do other things, retiring, or just not making the cut again over other girls. Of the eighteen girls from the Olympic team, Sydney, Maddy, Carly, and I are the last ones standing. Sydney was planning on leaving after this season. Somehow even with her being a founding member of the dynasty we've created, she still hasn't gotten an offer from Team USA that makes it worth it anymore. Japan, on the other hand, has had its sights on her since 2022. From what I've heard, they make a very compelling case.