on deck; a. judge

19.

"Why don't you come with me to my parents' house?" Aaron asks me as I'm brushing my teeth, causing me to nearly choke on my toothpaste.

"What?" I ask as I spit out the toothpaste into the sink. "Did you just say meet your parents?"

Aaron nodded. "I don't think I stuttered." He laughed, "But yeah, I think you and my parents would get along great. Plus, I'm sure you don't want to sit around just crunching numbers."

He was right.

I think for a moment, wiping the corner of my mouth and then I nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay as in, okay, I'll come with you to your parents'." I tell him, looking in the mirror as I applyl lipgloss.

Aaron's lips curl into a smile. "You'll have to meet John too, but, that's fine. Hopefully he doesn't try to flirt."

"Have you talked to him about me?" I ask him, curious about the answer.

He shrugged. "I've mentioned you to my mom a couple of times." He brushed his teeth too, then leaned against the wall and looked at me. "John's been dating a girl for a little while now, so hopefully there isn't anything too crazy."

"That's nice though. Do you two get along?"

Aaron nodded. "Yeah, I would say so. I mean, I'm always gone, I rarely visit my family unless it's for holidays. Our schedules are just so different it's really hard to try and connect." He slid his phone and wallet in his pockets and slipped on a black Under Armor hoodie and I slipped on a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. It was a lazy day, off day for the boys after a travel day to California to take on the Dodgers.

====

When we arrived in Aaron's hometown, I could see his mood instantly perk up. He was excited to be home, it's not that often he gets to visit home. He plays 162 games a year, sometimes even more if they go into postseason. It must be tough trying to figure out when he can go see his famiy, as his schedule is just so unpredictable.

"We're here. My humble abode away from my humble abode." Aaron said with a smile on his face as he got out of the car and waited for me before walking up to the front door. He knocked before letting himself in and was instantly greeted by a dog. I smile as I am soon greeted with kisses by the dog.

"That's Kevin. He's the family dog." Aaron told me and he smiled, looking up as he saw I assume to be his mother, walk up to him and hugged him tight. "Hi, momma." He said as he hugged her back.

"Oh, hon! I missed you so much! How have you been?" She kissed his cheek and looked over at me. "And you must be Ellie?" She asks.

"That would be me." I smile. "Great to meet you, Mrs. Judge."

"Oh, please, call me Patty!" She hugged me and I couldn't help but hug back. "You are a beautiful girl! Aaron was right!" She smiled and I looked at Aaron who's redder than an apple in the face. "I'm so happy to meet you!"

I laugh, "I love living with him. He makes it fun, tolerable."

Patty nodded. "Aaron, you're being respectful, right? Treating this young, beautiful lady with respect and manners?" She asked, looking at her son.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom. I'm not a complete asshole." He replied, looking at me and I just smile at him. If she only knew how her son behaves...

"Well, John will be home a little later. Come sit down! I'm sure the traveling has been exhausting!" Patty said and we followed her into the living room where Aaron and I sat on the couch across from his mom.

"How has the house been? Everything okay?" Aaron asks his mom.

"Oh, it's been great. The move went surprisingly well. It's nice to kind of have a fresh start. I see you're doing amazing, though!" She smiled and then looked at me. "How are you liking New York, Ellie?"

"I love it!" I answer with a smile on my lips. "I went to Columbia then went back home for a couple of months and then moved back when I got a full-time job with the Yankees. "I explain, watching as Aaron puts his arm around my shoulder. "It's a lot of fun, definitely a change of scenery."

Patty smiled, seeing what Aaron just did. "So you two get along well?"

I look at Aaron and we both nod. "I would say so! He's a pain sometimes and makes me wanna rip my hair out, but, we manage." I laugh, poking his cheek.

"Well, everything isn't always going to be perfect." Patty let out a chuckle. "I'm just glad he's getting along well with you. I'll be very upset if he's a rude young man. His father and myself taught him better than that." She tells me before we see the front door open, seeing Aaron's brother walk in.

"Damn, we having a party?" John asks, laughing. He walked and sat next to Aaron, ruffling up his hair. "Hey bud." He pushes him around a little. "Got a girl with ya, huh?" He leaned over Aaron and held his hand out. "I'm John, nice to meet you."

I smile and shake his hand. "He's told me a little about you." Aaron moved his arm from around my shoulder to put his brother in a headlock.

"Hey! This isn't fair!" John said as he tried to break free from his brother's grip. I could tell John was a little more built than Aaron so it would be easy for him to break the grip and do the same to Aaron. "Who's laughing now, asshole?"

Patty frowned. "Knock it off, you two!" She thumped John and Aaron on the back of the head. "Have some common sense and be polite. You have company over."

Aaron looked at me and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back at him and then look down at my hands.

"Well, I'm gonna go start on dinner. I'm just making some pasta." Patty said as she stood up and lked into the kitchen. "Aaron, if you go upstairs, behave."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom." He laughed and looked at me. "You wanna go upstairs?"

I shrug. "Depends on what you plan on doing."

"Lay in my bed? I've missed it." He smiled, getting up and held his hand out to me. I grabbed his hand and walked upstairs to the guest bedroom that I imagine is Aaron's whenever he wanted to visit.

"She kept my bed, but decor is bland." He says, before sitting down and looking at me, pulling me on top of him.

I sit on his hips, straddling them. "I thought you wanted to lay down?"

"I do! But, what if I want a pretty girl on me?" He looked at me, resting his hands on my thighs.

"I guess you're gonna have to find another girl..." I tell him, shrugging.

"Oh, shut up, Ells. I'm talking about you." I lean down closer to his lips as he kept his eyes on me. "You're beautiful.."

I blush, shaking my head. "Shush."

"Why don't you make me?" He asked, furrowing his brows at me.

I shrug, leaning down more and kissed him softly. He put one of his hands on my cheek, kissing me back. He pulled away a couple moments later as I laid my head on his chest and he grabbed a blanket covering the both of us up.

"Plus, you laying on me keeps me warm." Aaron commented, placing a hand on my back. "Just a little nap."

"Glad to know I'm good for being a personal space heater."