“FOSTER, GET YOUR FINGER out of your nose.” Dodger scolded. 

“Dad,” four-year-old Foster put his hand on his hip. “It’s not gross. Parker in my class does it all the time. He even eats them.” 

“If Parker jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” 

“Sure, if it’s the bungee kind.” 

“Oh my Lord, Macie would you come explain to your son that we don’t jump off bridges, and picking noses isn’t cool.”

Macie walked over from the side lines laughing at her husband. “You’re such a baby, Dodger.” She squatted down to Foster. “Quit picking your nose or it’ll fall off. And maybe someday your dad will jump off a bridge with you.” 

Donna and Paul chuckled. Dodger came to stand beside us. “It’s the pregnancy talking, right?” He asked.

I nodded reassuringly and patted his shoulder. “Probably.” Macie stood up and rubbed her very large belly. “Or she’s mad she’s pregnant again, and wants a bigger wedding ring.”

“Kill me,” he said exasperated, even though he was beaming at his little family.

“Let’s go everybody. Bottom of the ninth, one batter on first and one out. Mom’s brisket is going to dry out if we don’t wrap this up after Annabelle.” 

Turner was hollering at the whole family. It was middle of spring and we were all here celebrating and enjoying the first day the temps were in the mid-seventies and sunny. 

“Leave it up to Turner to keep everyone on track.” Annabelle, Turner’s wife rolled her eyes. She grabbed a bat and headed up to home plate. 

They were in town for a week. After jet setting all over the world for several years, I think both were ready to come back home and settle down. Maybe even start a family. Annabelle was never interested in having kids, but from what Donna had said, after seeing her nephew and niece, it was something Annabelle was opening up to. They both had careers that kept them busy, but could take a hiatus.

Turner wound up his arm like he was going to throw the ball harder than he did towards his wife. She swung and the ball went flying over his head.

“Whoops!” Annabelle yelled and she tossed her bat to the ground. Turner stood there gaping. She took off around the bases as my dad and mom went running for the fly ball. I loved that they were included in the festivities, like they were as much a part of the family as everyone else.

Keegan, who had been on first, was already rounding for home before the ball headed back into the infield. She flung herself over home plate and Annabelle was just hitting third when Turner grabbed the ball and darted towards her. She laughed hysterically as he chased her around like they were playing a game of tag.

Everyone laughed at their antics.

Dodger patted Wrigley’s back. “He just doesn’t want to go up against you again. If you swung those girls into home, his team would’ve never caught up.”

Wrigley smirked. “Nah, I’m not good. I get all the baseball a person can handle.”

Paul watched on as his boys bantered back and forth and I could see how much pride he had for them. His dreams of having at least one of his sons playing in the Major Leagues became a reality with Wrigley. I don’t think Paul’s feet had touched the ground since he heard the news.

“Hey, would you save that shit for the bedroom?” Camden playfully grumbled at Turner, causing me to look at them.

“Hey, would you watch your mouth?” Keegan scolded. She was hoisting their three-year-old little girl up on her hip.

“What’s shit, Daddy?” Ashton asked.

Keegan glared at Camden. “Erm… “He snagged her from Keegan. “Ash have I ever told you how beautiful you are, and how you look just like your mother?” He tickled her side.

She giggled and it was the sweetest sound. “All the time, Daddy.”

“That’s cause Daddy is always in trouble with Mommy,” Camden grumbled.

Keegan couldn’t help but grin and nod. Ashton was the apple of everyone’s eye. The first girl this family had since Bree, the half-sister, whom I had yet to meet. But she was starting to come around a little more often. Donna spoiled Ashton rotten, and I don’t think I’d ever seen her wear the same outfit more than once, the child had so many clothes. And her shoe collection was on another level.

Wrapping up the game, we all loaded up the gear and packed it onto the golf carts. I took a moment to look at my extended family. I couldn’t help but think about how different this all was. How life had a funny way of telling you what you needed, instead of you telling life what you needed. I was blessed. We all were blessed. Camden and Keegan had started their family and were still running a successful gym. They were even talking about opening up a second location in the next town over.

Macie and Dodger had finally tied the knot after she’d gotten pregnant for the second time. While, she adored being a nurse, she decided being a stay at home mom to their son, and newest baby boy that was going to be arriving in a couple months, was going to be her newest adventure. Dodger wasn’t so sure she would like it, but he supported her decision and loved the idea of the boys being raised similar to the way he was. Donna stayed at home with all of her boys. And who knows, maybe Macie was creating the newest line-up of Brooks brothers.

As for Wrigley and myself, well, turned out he is my forever. I don’t think even my wildest dreams were ever this good. Life wasn’t always a fairytale with Wrigley Brooks, but he was the most understanding between the two of us. And he was still teaching me new things every day. Right now, we were taking a very rare weekend break from spring training to visit the family and say hi. We’d both graduated from LSU after a long and grueling four years. He’d given me the shock of a lifetime when he’d waited for me at the bottom of the steps when I walked across the stage to accept my diploma. He had been down on one knee and said every sweet word that one could think of to make a girl say ‘yes’.

We would marry at the end of December here in Athens, where all of our family was. But, for now, he’d just signed a one-year contract with the Cubs and we were living in an apartment in downtown Chicago. He was okay with the one-year deal. He liked being a free agent and having the opportunity to work with different teams. I was thrilled that they saw his talent. The whole family was ecstatic. As for me, I found a good job working for an investment company and I could say life was pretty great. Even if we had to move when his season was over, I made sure I took something that would allow me to work from home if I needed to. Not that his salary didn’t pay for anything we could possibly want.

What never changed though was right here. The stability and love that was always provided when we wanted or needed a blessing. We were all fortunate. The Brooks family was growing, our extended families were growing, and life showed me that through hardships brought opportunities. I loved my life. I loved Athens, Georgia. This was home… where all of our hearts lie. We wouldn’t have it any other way.