in London and Paris, I was finally back in the United States but I was still far from home. I was in Jupiter, Florida to watch one of Giovanni's spring training games against the Cardinals. It was my first time watching a baseball game in person, but also my first time watching him play in real time. I've sat and watched his career highlights on my own time but this would be much different. I'd get a feel of the team's energy, experience adrenaline rushes and see how the crowd reacted.

It was currently the ninth inning and the Mets were ahead by 1 with two players on base 1 and 3. They'd already gotten two outs for the inning so whoever was up next to bat needed to be careful and play his cards right. Giovanni stepped up to bat. He rolled his shoulders a few times, twirled the bat and sunk his feet into the clay. The pitcher stood for a few seconds, preparing himself for the throw then threw a ground pitch.

My attention was taken from the game when my phone rung in my hand. It was Brit with a facetime call. "Are you at the game?"

"Yes, and I just spotted you." I could tell she was walking. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Um, I did. You never replied." I glanced around to see if I could spot her.

"I broke my personal phone. You know to call my business phone when I don't answer on the personal. But I'll be over there in a minute."

"Alright." I hung up.

I put my attention back on the game just as the pitcher released another ball. This one wasn't a low ball. It was a bit high but speedy. I thought it would fly passed Gio and be a strike ball, but he swung and sent it soaring through the air. The people around me jumped up to see how far it would go and the outfielders sprinted to catch it. It was goner, though. The two players that were already on base made their way home and Gio jogged his home run.

"One thing about Hoffman is that he's amazing at clocking the connection time of a good pitch." a fan said from behind me. "It's a skill man. I'm telling you. Not every player can do that consistently like he can. I'm glad he's back."

Brit stepped in my line of vision in an oversized t-shirt and denim shorts, "Come with me to the bathroom?"

"Yeah." I grabbed my custom MCM backpack from between my legs.

"When did you get down here?"

"Like an hour before the game started." I yawned.

"Didn't get any sleep on the plane?"

"I did. But I'm still tired." we walked in the bathroom.

She went in a stall and I went over to the mirror. I'd already come down to freshen up at the beginning of the inning so I took this moment to check myself again. The powder blue cropped tank and grey biker shorts I sported were free of sweat spots and my blown out hair was still in tact. There wasn't too much fluff from the humidity thanks to the high ponytail I'd styled it in to keep it off my shoulders. The last thing I wanted was for my hair to be stuck to my neck because I was sweating.

"Are you going to be at the Astros games on Sunday and Monday?" I asked.

"I will. Wait are you coming to tomorrow's game?"

"No. I have to go back home before I go to Cali."

"You're still busy huh? A working woman if I ever saw one." she emerged from the stall.

"Yes, I have a few promo obligations with Savage Fenty to shoot and I'm to star in a music video."

She jerked her head back, "A music video!? Who's?"

"DVSN. The director asked me if I could play the love interest and I accepted. I've always wanted to be a video girl for a day or two."

"Oh, is it for their new album?"

"Yeah, and Noelle said she's heard a few songs and they're really good."

"I don't doubt it. Me and Chad have almost made you an auntie to DVSN."

"Don't almost. Get it done. Now. Today." I handed her napkins to dry her hands. "Are you going back to the hotel?"

"Nah, you know Chazmon is from down this way here so he's been at his uncle's. He's probably outside waiting on me too so let me go. He isn't the most patient and he told me to be outside five minutes before the inning ended."

"Alright. See you later then." I chuckled.

Once we exited the bathroom, she went toward the exit of the facility while I stood in the alleyway to wait on the game to come to a close. I didn't need to wait though because the teams were leaving the field and heading my way.

"Sis." Chazmon opened his arm for a hug.

"Hey. Where's Gio?"

"Back by the bleachers. A little boy was losing his mind trying to get to him."

"Oh okay." I nodded. "Pete."

"Hey Korin."

The two walked away and I continued to wait on Gio to come around the corner. When he did his head was down but a smile was spread across his face as he talked to a man. The man looked to be a fan from the baby strapped to his chest and the Mets t-shirt he wore. Gio was giving him a listening ear and stopped walking to give him a response. I couldn't make out their conversation but a smirk graced my face at the sight of Gio in his uniform. I was a big fan of the way his butt and thighs sat in the pants.

He and the guy shook hands before the man went on his way. Gio turned and finally took notice of me against the wall. He broke out in a grin, opening his arms for me. I met him halfway and tightly wrapped my arms around him. I'd definitely missed him during my time away. Especially because we had a difficult time having more than five minute conversations with the time difference and our full schedules.

"You ain't tell me you were coming." he spoke against my neck.

"You should have known. You looked good out there. You've been feeling okay?"

"Yeah, haven't had a hiccup yet. Damn I feel like I haven't seen you in months." he cupped my face and kissed me. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." I gave him another kiss then used my hands to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "What time are you leaving for West Palm tomorrow?"

"Like 11. You coming?"

"I can't. My flight back home leaves at six a.m. I have to get a few things in order before I go to California on Thursday. I'll be back for the Astros game on Sunday and I can stay until the following Thursday."

"Okay. Let me get back there and changed. Wait over there and we'll ride together."

"Okay."

About fifteen minutes later, Gio came walking out with Chad and Pete. He said his farewells to them and gestured for me to follow him in a direction opposite of his friends. I walked with him out of the facility and through the parking lot to a G-Wagon rental. Rather than stay in a hotel like some of his teammates, he owned a studio apartment that was in the perfect spot for spring training travel. He wasn't too far from either baseball park but because he wasn't with the team he needed a rental to get around.

"What are we eating?" he asked as soon as we were comfortable.

"What's around here?" I opened my phone to check my options.

"I'm thinking Tijuana Flats."

"Oh my gosh, yes." I moaned at the thought. "I haven't had Tijuana Flats in so long."

"Bet." he backed out. "Baby you know the drill. Play my song."

"You're not tired of that song yet?"

"Nope."

I connected my phone to the truck's bluetooth then used Youtube to play the slow and reverb version of Chris Brown's Aura. Though the song came out last summer, Gio had become obsessed with it recently. He turned the volume up to the max and sped out of the back gate of the parking lot. I think that we should listen to all of the signs that this love provides. I couldn't deny that it was a good song, but Gio ran it in the ground.

"Ain't going nowhere, girl, just face it. We want the same thing, oh. And now we got it. Oooh oooh oooooh. And now we got this aura. I gotta get this off." he sung shamelessly. A smile spread across my face at his horrific singing. He gripped my chin, "YOU KNOW YOU'RE ALL MINE! You're all miiiiine."

"You know you can't sing right?" I smiled up at him.

"Yet you're smiling. Can't be too bad."

"I'm smiling because you swear you're good and it's kind of sad. Stick to baseball, hun."

We made it to Tijuana Flats within twenty minutes and chose to eat outside at one of their tables. We were fairly hungry so not much was said until I pointed out the ice cream parlor two store front over. I felt like we deserved a dessert. Especially a cold one to keep us cool in this heat.

"I have a taste for chocolate ice cream." I walked in first, hopping right in line.

"Baby, don't be that person." he threw his arm over my shoulder.

"What? I like chocolate ice cream. You know that."

"And it blows my mind every time. It tastes like a cold special dark chocolate Hersheys."

"No it doesn't. Hi--" I stepped up to the register. "--Can I get a small cup of your chocolate ice cream. No toppings please."

"And a small cup of butter pecan." Gio ordered.

The cashier gave the total and I scooted over to watch the other worker fill my cup. She handed it over to me then started to work on Gio's. I glanced around for spoons and napkins and found them near the door. I walked over, grabbed two spoons and a small stack of napkins to take with us, then held the door open for Gio.

"We getting back in the car?"I asked, handing him a spoon.

"So you can make a mess? No."

"That was one time!"

"It was more than one time, Korin. You've spilled fries in my car, mayonnaise and rice. You don't know how to eat in a car."

"I guess." I sat down on a block.

"You know it's true. Now tell me more about this music video. Who is the artist again?"

"DVSN. They sing the Claim song you like." he frowned. "Somebody should've claimed you."

"Oh! Yeah, okay. You know the gist of what you'll be doing?"

I got up to throw away the plastic my spoon was wrapped in.

"They didn't tell me much about it but what I got from the explanation is that--" I turned back around to see Gio eating my ice cream. He wasn't being discreet or sneaky about it either. He was eating it like it was his.

When he realized I stopped talking he took his eyes off whatever he was looking at and saw me staring at him in disbelief. He started laughing, almost spitting some out. I marched up to him with every intention of snatching my cup away from him. He leaned over, holding the cup out of my reach as he tried to explain himself but he hadn't swallowed what was in his mouth yet.

"Wait." he almost choked from laughing. I stepped back a bit and allowed him to swallow. "I was just trying to see how it taste because you were acting like it was so good."

"How and I just unwrapped my spoon? And you had like two scoops." I snatched it away. "Just two seconds ago you were saying chocolate ice cream is nasty."

"I don't know, man. They had to have put some secret ingredient in that." I side-eyed him. "Here, have some of my mine and call it even."

"I don't want butter pecan. That old lady ice cream."

He shrugged, "Stay mad then."

"I'm not mad. I'm irritated and there's a difference."

"Let me know when you're unirritated." he shoved a spoon of ice cream in his mouth.

"That's not even a word. I'm really itching to push you for eating my stuff, Gio."

He laughed, "Man let it go! I had a scoop and a half. That cup is still full."

"You're lucky I'm craving this or I'd throw it away just because it was your money and not mine."

"Childish." he shook his head. "Acting like a big ol' baby over chocolate ice cream. Bottom of the barrel ice cream. Must be smoking crack."

"Bro say something else and you'll have to fade me. Deadass."

"Something else." he leaned in my face.

"You lucky I don't want my ice cream to melt." I said while trying my hardest not to crack a smile.

"You know I'll have you folded up out here in front of all these people. You played your cards right." he nodded.

I cupped his chin, "I really missed you."

"I know." he kissed me. "I missed you too. Let's hurry up and finish this so we can go take a nap. I'm tired."

"Music to my ears." I dug into my ice cream.

one of my teammates, Sergio Bermudez, nudged me.

I shook my head, "You still on that man?"

"Come on Gio, you gotta say it. You sound just like him when you say it."

"Y'all niggas laughing but uh uh she had me hot and ready like lil caeser's. She woulda had to pay me forty dollars for my services that night." I imitated another teammate.

Sergio hollered like he hadn't heard the statement over three times already and like we weren't in the lobby of our apartment building. For yesterday's game, a few players were mic'd up including he and I and we overheard a player's conversation on the sideline. Sergio thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"Aye that shit fucked me up." he smacked his knee.

"I'm not about to sit down here and play with you Serg. I'm waiting on my girl."

"Girl? Man I've heard this be thrown around in the weight room for weeks now but I have yet to see a woman claim you, dawg. Where she at?" he looked out of the window.

Like clockwork, the car I sent to pick up Korin pulled under the valet circle. I stepped outside and opened the backdoor for her. Willow jumped in my chest, catching me off guard. I dodged her licks while grabbing Korin's bags from her hands. She gave me a closed smile and a kiss on the cheek. It made me frown.

"It's way hotter than it was last week. This heat here is disrespectful."

"I'd be hot too if I were wearing all black in 95 degree weather." I pushed the car door closed, prompting the driver to pull off. She wore a black cropped top and black high waisted jeans.

"I'm cute though."

"Yeah yeah." I followed behind her into the building.

Sergio gave me a thumbs up and mouthed, "She's fine as hell."

I shook my head at him and pushed the button for the elevator. The doors opened immediately, taking us up to my floor. I took notice of how silent Korin was being on our travel to the room which made me ask if she was okay. She claimed to be tired and I took it. She'd been traveling a lot so maybe the lack of sleep was catching up to her.

"You can take a nap and I'll take Willow out to play for a bit. She probably needs it after being on that plane for so long." I put Willow on the floor after we reached my place.

"I have to give you something first."

"Give me something?"

"Yes." she grabbed her backpack from my hand. I watched as she unzipped it and began to dig around. She pulled out a small envelope. "Here."

"I gotta open it now?" I took it from her.

"No but I'd prefer if you did. You might want to sit down too."

"Sit? What you giving me?"

"C'mon sit down."

"I don't want to open it now." I sat it down. She picked it back up and held it out to me. "Just tell me what it is."

"Gio. Sit down and open it."

With a huff, I took it from her hand and sat down on the edge of the bed. She leaned against the dresser and folded her arms over her chest. I stared down at the envelope as if I could see through it and read what it said without opening it. When I glanced back up at Korin she was slowly but stressfully rubbing her hands along the fabric of her pants.

"Korin what is it man? You looking like you're scared for me to even open it."

"Just open it." she urged.

I untucked the flap of the envelope and she started to fidget with her clothes. She was passing her anxious energy over to me and it was making me uncomfortable. I reached forward, pulled her down beside me and placed my hand on her thigh in hopes to calm her down. It didn't help. She still had a hard time containing her nerves.

She jumped back up, "How about I go to bathroom and let you open this in private then I'll come back. Yeah? Okay."

There was no real time for me to give her a response because she had already shut herself in the bathroom. What the hell is in this envelope? I thought to myself. She was acting weird and it made me want to leave it closed. But it also urged me to see what had her worked up and trapping herself in the bathroom

In order to find out, I needed to open it so I pulled out the folded paper to see that it was a handwritten letter. Her handwriting.

Our short time as a couple has been nothing short of straining and testing, but we've finally reached a ground that works for us. That's had us happy for the past two months and I can admit that I don't want anything to interfere with it. But as we all know the universe does what it wants and not what we want. Its said it gives us what we "need" but I can wholeheartedly say that I don't believe that this is what I need. Not right now and I'm starting to think not ever. I know you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about and well... in the envelope is a test saying that I'm more than three weeks pregnant. I don't know how to feel, I don't know what to say. But I do know that the news did not excite me. This is where we are now.

I turned the envelope over making the blue and white stick fall into my lap. I picked it up and sure enough she was pregnant. "Oh man."