Mickey just shrugs. “Close enough. I get it. You don’t want the other guys to get jealous.
I’m in that sleepy, hazy state where my eyes are closed, but I’m vaguely aware of the outside world. Blinking rapidly, I yawn and look down at the sweet bundle in JT’s arms.
Our baby girl is perfect and she’s not even a day old.
The door creaks and I look up to see what must have roused me from sleep. My Uncle Hudson stands tentatively inthe doorway, a bouquet of pink lilies in one hand and a gift bag in the other.
I feel JT stiffen beside me, but his smile is genuine. There’s a tentative truce between these two men, and I know they’re both trying for my sake. I can’t ask for more than that, but if I could, I’d want them to get back the closeness they once shared. Maybe it’s a tall order, but I’m an optimist.
“Ok if I come in?” Uncle Hudson asks, his feet practically glued to the floor.
“Of course,” I say.
“You’ve gotta come a little closer, Coach,” JT teases. “She’s not walking yet.”
My uncle laughs, and it sounds a little rusty, but good. He’s looking a little better, too, these days. His clothes are clean, his hair is close-cropped once more, and he’s clean-shaven.
“I come bearing gifts,” he says, walking into the room, and setting his things down. “And I have good news, too. But first, I have an apology that’s long overdue.” He looks at the ground for a minute before facing both of us head-on. “A year ago, I had everything-- every fucking thing. A wife I adore, who loved me back. A star freshman with more skill than he knew what to do with and the opportunity to shape him into a guy who just might become one of the greats. A niece who chose me when she needed a place to go. Maggie, you moved your whole life across the country because you trusted me to be there for you while you put it all back together. I’ve done a shit job of showing how much you all mean to me, but if you’ll let me, I promise to do better.”
His voice cracks on the last word, and I know there are tears streaming down my cheeks. JT kisses the top of my head before taking Calla over to meet her great-uncle. The prospect of holding an infant clearly terrifies him, but he slathers on hand sanitizer and puts on his game face.
“Meet Calla Baylor Norris,” JT says, placing our sweet girlin my uncle’s waiting arms. It’s a sight I never thought I’d see.
JT clears his throat. “That good news you mentioned, Coach, does it have anything to do with my family?”
My uncle gives his head an almost imperceptible shake. “It has to do with Curtis. As you know, he was picked up for speeding just before the tournament began. The car he was driving had already been reported stolen, so even though he claimed it belonged to a buddy of his, his lies bought him time in the county jail. That left plenty of time to uncover everything he’d been up to since his early release. He and Griggs picked up where they left off, breaking and entering, stealing and pawning.” Uncle Hudson pulls his gaze from Calla long enough to look at JT and me. “The cops up in Grand Plains have enough to put both of them away for a minimum of twenty years. I expect more charges will follow, and you can both breathe a little easier.”
The look of relief on JT’s face matches my own.
Calla starts in with her baby bird-like wail, and I know it’s time for me to try feeding her again. JT scoops her up like the expert he already is and places her on my chest.
Uncle Hudson takes that as his cue to leave, but not before waving the gift bag in my direction. “This is for you, Maggie,” he says, setting the bright pink bag on a hospital cart before ducking out.
I ignore the bag as I carefully help Calla latch onto my other breast. She sucks for a minute or two, then falls right back to sleep. I should probably do the same, but I can’t. The suspense is killing me.
“You ready for your gift?” JT says with a laugh as he hands the bag over. He knows how much I hate suspense.
Peeking inside, I pull out a slim envelope. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this isn’t it. There’s a letter inside and a few papers.
Dear Maggie,
As you know, you won’t gain access to your trust for three more years. In the meantime, though, I think you may find this gift helpful. Gam and Pop’s house was sold, and I think it’s only right that the money goes to you. It was your house, too, after all. There are no strings attached to this gift, no waiting period. It’s yours. You can use it to buy a house or to pay your bills or to buy out the garden center on the highway. I trust you to do what’s best for your family. I should have trusted you all along.
Uncle Hudson
My heart is full and my mind is spinning. There’s a lot of damage to repair, but when I think about all Uncle Hudson has done since JT and I went to him for help, I realize we’ve taken the first steps toward making this right.
CHAPTER 47
JT
We’ve been homefrom the hospital for a week, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. Or more tired.
Sweet Calla still has her days and nights mixed up and she does this thing where she nurses for about three minutes then passes out. She repeats this trick every hour. We love it.
Just kidding.
It’s making us question our sanity. And it’s depriving Maggie of her own much-needed sleep. It’s seven in the morning and Maggie hasn’t gone to bed yet. That’s why I snuck Calla out here to the living room half an hour ago.
