Beyond the Bases (Out of Reach 1)

“Thanks.” He releases me, and Mom takes his place. “Hey, Mom.”

“You have a beautiful family, East.”

Turning my head, I look over at my girls. The four of them are my everything. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without them. “That I do,” I agree with her. “That I do.”

The rest of the day we have a revolving door of visitors. My mother-in-law came bearing food, of which we were both extremely grateful. Drew and Chloe stopped by but couldn’t stay long. Chloe’s mom was watching their three-month-old daughter, Clara. Fisher and Carr both stopped by with their wives, and the team sent a huge bouquet of flowers. It was a perfect day to celebrate the birth of our new baby girl.

As I stand on the mound, I take a minute to memorize this moment. The crowd is loud, a sea of orange letting us know Tennessee fans are here in droves to support us. I know that in that sea of orange is my family. Mom, Dad, Parker, and Peyton. Grandma and Grandpa Monroe, Gram, Aunt Chloe, Uncle Drew, Clara, and Clayton, are all here to watch me and support my team.

My team that I’ve led to the Women’s College Softball World Series. This is the last game in the series, and we’re up by two. We only need one more out to end this game and win the series. This is the final innings of the game, and the final innings of my college career. I graduate next week with my bachelor’s degree in sports medicine. I fell in love with the game around the same time Mom and Dad met. But it’s not his shoes I followed in, it was Grandpa Monroe’s. He too was a pitcher.

“Let’s go, Monroe!” I hear from the crowd and know without a doubt that’s my dad. He retired from the game my senior year of high school, and since then, there’s not been one game he’s missed. He does the same for my sisters. He’s made it his life’s goal to never miss another important event in our lives.

Taking a deep breath, I wind up the pitch and let it fly. Strike one. I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants and repeat the process two more times. As soon as the third strike is called, I drop to my knees. I don’t even try to keep the tears from falling. My smile is wide as my team rushes me and we fall into a pile on the field. We did it. We won the Women’s College World Series.

The next hour is filled with families swarming the field, along with reporters and photographers. It’s a bitter-sweet moment, one I’ll never forget. When two strong arms wrap around me and swirl me around in the air, I know immediately it’s my dad.

“So damn proud of you, princess,” he whispers just for me.

This man, my father has been here for me from day one. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to show him what his love, his acceptance of me as his own has done for me.

When he finally places my feet on the ground, I turn to face him. “I love you, Daddy.” I might be twenty-one, but he will always be my daddy and I will always be his princess. Nothing will ever change that. I see his eyes shimmer and he smiles.

“It’s like I blinked and now you’re this beautiful young woman, bringing her old man to his knees, just like you did when you were a little girl.”

“You know, just speaking from the heart.” I wink, making him laugh.

“Come here, you.” He tu

gs me into a tight hug and gets invaded by Mom and my sisters.

“So what’s next?” Parker, who is now fourteen asks.

“You gonna miss it?” Peyton adds.

I look over at my parents, who are wearing matching grins. “I’m taking life beyond the bases.” Dad throws his head back and laughs, as does my mom. My sisters just grin. Those three words mean just as much to my family as “I love you.” It’s something Dad told Mom when they were dating and it’s stuck with her, with us.

Six months is too damn long to wait to marry the love of your life. But when that love is Larissa, you wait to give her the perfect wedding. You wait, giving her the time she needs so she knows that no matter what, you’ll be there. My girls are stuck with me.

I’m standing at the altar watching, waiting for my girls. Larissa and I decided that she and Paisley would walk hand-in-hand down the aisle together. I’m not just pledging my love to Larissa today, but my daughter as well. Pride washes over me. She’s been calling me Daddy for a while now, but soon it’s going to be official. First thing Monday morning, before we leave for our honeymoon, we’re signing the papers to begin the adoption process.

When the music starts to play, I turn and focus my gaze on the aisle. When I see my two beauties appear in white, I have to bite down on my tongue to keep a sob from escaping my lips. Somehow, from the moment I met her, I knew this was where we would end up. This is where I hoped we would end up.

As they get closer, Paisley bounces on her feet at her mom’s side and calls out for me. “Daddy!” she says loudly. “Look at my dress.” She pulls on some of the white lace to show me. The guests laugh. “It’s so, so pretty,” she says, oblivious to the fact that her mom is shushing her.

“You’re beautiful,” I say when they reach me. Bending down, I scoop her up in my arms and place her on my hip. “And you,” I lean in and kiss Larissa’s cheek, “you take my breath away.” Her eyes shimmer with tears.

“Dearly beloved,” the minister begins the service. I hold Paisley close, while holding Larissa’s hand. “Easton,” he gives me my cue.

Crouching down, I place P on her feet and take both her hands in mine. “Paisley, I know you have a daddy in heaven, and I’m honored you’ve chosen me to be your daddy here on earth. You are a bright, beautiful, vibrant little girl, and you have brought so much love and joy to my life.” I have to stop to get my emotions in check. P is smiling with tears in her eyes as well. “Today, I pledge my love to you as your father. I’ll be there for the good times and bad, to scare the boys away until your thirty.” This gets a laugh from the crowd.

“To play catch with me?” she asks shyly.

“Yeah, princess, to play catch with you. I promise to love you, my daughter, all the days of my life.”

She launches her little body at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I love you so, so much,” she whispers.

“I love you, too, P.” Standing with her still in my arms, I reach out for Larissa with my free hand.