Page 61 of Fumble Into the End Zone
Me
On the way. Crossing the street.
Hands tangled, Harley and I approached the owner’s entrance, passing through security with no problem. We took the elevator up to the suites and I snapped another picture of us before the doors opened.
As we progressed down the hallway, Stacie’s mouth opened but she quickly shut it. I squinted in her direction, telling her to behave. She wore Rex’s jersey, jeans and the team baseball hat.
“Stacie, meet Harley. Harley, this is Stacie,” I introduced.
Stacie extended her hand, and Harley shook it, but moved closer to me. I rubbed her face in hopes of calming her fears.
“You and I are going to talk,” Stacie said between gritted teeth and smiled.
Harley and I followed Stacie inside to discover an empty suite. This was the first sign of trouble in paradise for Stacie.
“Is this one of the remodeled suites?” I asked.
She scanned the room with a proud smile. Although the other suites were nice, they paled in comparison to the upgraded ones. The unobstructed view of the baseball field, and upscale, warm-toned light fixtures screamed luxury.
“I know how you love the stadium hotdogs,” Stacie said, after she led us to the buffet area that housed three chafing dishes.
“Harley, would you enjoy a hotdog?” I asked, and she smiled.
“Yes, please, and can I have ketchup on the side?” she asked.
“Of course,” I said.
I added a hotdog with a warm bun and chips with ketchup on the side on a plate. Harley followed me to the table, and I pulledout a chair. With the hotdog being bigger than her fingers, I cut it into several pieces.
“What about something to drink?” I asked.
“Do you have some sweet tea?” she asked, and I turned to Stacie.
My best friend covered her mouth to suppress her laughter. “No, I have pop, juice and water. But next time, I will add some sweet tea for you,” Stacie said.
“I’ll take water. It helps your skin glow,” Harley announced.
I opened the beverage fridge and selected a mini bottle of water. I placed it next to her plate with a few napkins.
“Stacie and I are going to step outside. Let me know if you need anything,” I said to Harley as she stuffed a chip in her mouth.
Before Stacie and I migrated outside, I snapped a picture of Harley for Marcus. Stacie waited until the glass door closed behind us before her smile stretched across her face.
“How old is she? Sweet Tea Mia? Whose baby is she?” Stacie questioned.
She placed her hands on both of my elbows and shook them with excitement. I peeked inside to see Harley eating.
“She is seven, but her soul may be sixty. Harley belongs to Marcus,” I said in a fading voice, hoping she didn’t hear his name.
Stacie covered her mouth again with both hands. “Marcus, as in the wide receiver on Kindness’s football team. The one who texted, and you lied about not dating,” she asked with lifted brows.
“Stacie, things with him are hard to explain,” I said.
“You slept with him and it’s about time. Skin glowing and you’re in your element. You were meant for motherhood and family life,” she said.
I dropped my head to hide my smile.
“Mia, how are you going to navigate this situation? I don’t want you to get hurt again by getting attached to another baby,” Stacie said.
