The Story of Them

May 14, 2020

Happy Easter!

When I woke up in my hotel bed in Los Angeles, I felt alone. Stephane couldn't make it with me to this road trip since she had school still. It's our one-year anniversary, but we did promise that we'd celebrate it this weekend when I'm at home.

I didn't heave myself out of my bed yet; however, since I was feeling very lazy since I was at the ballpark way past two o'clock in the morning here (four o'clock in Chicago). It was eleven in the morning so I did have a pretty good night's rest.

I grabbed my phone finding that Stephane sent me a video. I opened it right as I saw it.

The video started out with a blank screen for a couple of silent seconds. Then with the black screen still, Stephane's voice erupted saying, "I got something to tell you. I got a secret for you... Don't worry, this is no small news or bad in any viewpoint. In about six months, we will be welcoming a new member to our family. But it's not just going to be one, and not two, but three little babies that we are expecting. I hope you are excited, well because I'm scared. I love you and good luck today." The video just ended with still a black screen.

I was in a state of shock with this type of news. I'm going to be a dad but to three children. We don't get to ease into the whole parenting thing. We're going to get slapped with three little babies all at once.

After I quickly posted a picture with a caption of, soon to be a dad here x3, I got up and got ready to head to the ball diamond in a couple of hours.

I hopped into a taxi with my small bag with me. After I dropped my bag off, I walked around Los Angeles trying to find a place where I could eat quickly.

I sat in a booth at a diner waiting for my food to come, when I noticed that Stephane had her lunch hour. Because of that, I called her.

"Hello," Stephane's tired voice came over the receiver.

"Why do you sound so tired?" I asked her chuckling to myself.

"Well, I was the idiot who tried to stay up all night to watch your game, but then I feel sleep around the fifth inning since it was already well after eleven at that point. I was tired, and then I couldn't sleep since I was anxious on your reaction to our little secret. So what do you think?"

"I think that I'm not even close to being ready to be a father, especially to three of them."

I heard Stephane chuckle at that one. "But we get to do it together, in the winter. The summer will be all me, but whatever. I'll make that sacrifice for the two of us."

Both of us stopped for a couple of seconds before I finally said, "Steph, I love you so much. When I get to see you, you'll get me up until I have to go. I wish I could have you right now, in my arms."

"Just imagine that you are doing that, it'll numb your missing of me. Trust me, I'm doing it also right now since you are the light that guides me every single day of my life. I doubt I would survive without you in this world, so please never leave me," Stephane voice softly spoke through the speaker.

I just had to laugh at that, "I promise, I won't ever."

"But I have to leave you right now, I love you. See you when you get home."

"See you then," that was all I could say before she hung the phone up on me. "Love you," I mumbled to myself before I cleared out of the phone and put it on the table

My food arrived soon after since I ordered before I called Steph. I slowly ate my food, even though it killed me inside since I'm one of those people who loves to shovel the grub into their mouths. There's nothing wrong with eating boringly slow, but I'm just not that type a person.

I slowly walked to the ballpark once I paid. I didn't really pay attention to my surroundings, but I did pay attention to my thoughts about who my children would be.

I took longer than I thought I would on my walk back to the ballpark. I still had plenty of time, but everyone was already there getting ready, plus joking around. I didn't mind though.

Chase, who was only under half dressed, came up to me, clapping his hand hard on my back, "Congrats, Zoey called me after she saw your Instagram feed. Don't worry, I already spread the news, so don't feel skittish about it."

"Gez, thanks Chase for helping me out on that one," I said being extremely sarcastic. I do believe that he picked up on my tone, but he probably ignored that.

"Just trying to help partner. Oh, Zoey told me to tell you that she wants one of the girls to be named after her. It has to do with something that she's special; truthfully, I don't even get it. If anyone is special to the two of you, it'll be me."

I just had to laugh at that one, "You are special, but not that much to me." I said that quickly before I headed to my area, to get ready. I did turn back towards Chase, and he was laughing about something so I believe that there are no hard feelings about our little joking session.