“If you think she’s got you in the palm of that tiny hand of hers now, just you wait, Luke Archer,” I hollered down the hall after him.
He chuckled as he disappeared in the room across from ours. “In her palm, in your heart, I’m a happy man.”
The baby monitor was propped on the counter in front of me, but I didn’t turn it off. I kept it on because I loved witnessing these private moments between Luke and our daughter.
“Afternoon, sunshine. Did you have a nice nap?” Luke came into view as he leaned over the crib, which made Lily’s little legs start kicking like crazy, her face lighting up from seeing her daddy. “Let’s get you up and ready for the party. And holy . . .” Luke said as he picked up Lily. “For something so sweet, you stink something fierce.”
They went out of view, but I could still hear them moving around the room.
“Wait. Maybe I’m not supposed to say that you stink. You know, in case you remember it in some strange memory one day, and it gives you a complex that your dad said you stunk.” The sound of diaper tape being ripped open was followed by a grunt from Luke. “Holy . . .” His voice was muffled from probably plugging his nose. “You are one sweet, sweet baby, Miss Lily Archer.” The muffled voice thing was gone, probably because he was worried the image of him pinching his nose while he changed his six-month-old baby’s diaper would give her some kind of a permanent mental scar.
After that, a couple of made-up songs about baseball, sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” were accompanied by Lily’s coo-giggle while they finished up. I got back to cleaning the last couple of tomatoes, not able to help the happiness that flooded my system.
I thought my dreams had come true the day I’d been hired on by the Shock—I never hoped to imagine there could be anything better than landing my dream job. But there had been. There’d been lots of so much better things. Like meeting Luke. Falling in love with him. Slaying a legion of demons on my journey toward doing so. Getting engaged. Being married. Having a baby.
Just when I was sure it couldn’t get any better, life did. It still came with its challenges—as was life’s nature—but navigating them with the person I loved made them feel smaller somehow, not so impossible to conquer. Our schedules were still exhausting, and having a baby going into spring training would make them that much more. But it was worth it. Anything would have been worth being with them.
Luke and Lily were dancing down the hall while Luke hummed a classic waltz melody—“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”—when the doorbell rang.
“Party face time.” Luke gave Lily a serious face as they detoured toward the door.
Lily gave him a serious face back. That lasted for all of half a second before she was grinning and flapping her chubby little arms.
“Nice party face, kiddo. That’s my girl.”
Grabbing a towel to dry my hands, I moved toward the front door with them. I knew who it was before I’d made it around the corner to see who had shown up first—from the sound of Lily’s shrieks alone.
“Sisters! Aunties! Welcome, welcome.” Luke swung the door open to let his three sisters in, trying to pull the first into a hug.
Alex swept around him with Gaby and Cameron, already pulling Lily out of his arms.
“Hey. Great to see you too.” Luke’s face flattened as he flashed a wave at the girls’ backs. “Do I have to hang Coach bags and chocolate truffles off of me to get some love again?”
If they heard him, they didn’t respond, already fawning all over Lily.
“Hey, girls,” I said as they moved into the living room.
“Hi, Allie.”
Cameron smiled and Alex gave me a quick side hug as they passed.
From the door, Luke’s mouth was hanging open, making him look all dejected. “I give them a niece and they don’t need me anymore.”
Holding out my hand for him, I tipped my head toward the kitchen. “Well, I need you. Manning the grill.”
“At least someone still needs me,” he said loudly enough to echo through the house. Still nothing.
“Oh my gosh, Luke!” Cameron’s head whipped toward her brother.
He started to smile, mollified someone had acknowledged him.
“Really? A Shock onesie? That’s cruel.”
I hadn’t noticed what Luke had changed her into after her nap, but now that I did, I smiled.
“What? I put her in one of those frilly tu-tu things and a matching bow headbandy thing too. She looks adorable.” Padding up to where the girls were falling onto the couch, Luke motioned at Lily like she was perfect in every way. Which she was. Her present outfit included.
“She’s a girl. Wearing a baseball onesie.”
Luke crossed his arms. “She’s a girl whose dad plays for the team her onesie’s pimpin’. It’s perfect.”