Free Pitcher's Baby by Saylor Bliss Page A

it.
    Sadly, he doesn’t. I know, because I was
sitting there when Aaron called him and offered to pay for him to go to an
inpatient rehab so he could get cleaned up and be a part of his child’s life.
He refused immediately, and Aaron and I made a pact to not tell Charlee. She
didn’t need to know. Not right now. Not when she is just rebuilding her own
life. It would crush her, and the thought of hurting her crushes me.
     
     

 
    Chapter Ten
    Charlee
    “Hey, you ready?” Ashlin calls back to me.
    “Yeah, grab that pacifier for me.”
    We are taking Everly for her first ever
photo shoot. Part of our class assignment includes working together on a
project photographing a real life person, and since today is my baby’s
two-month birthday, I figured this would be perfect.
    Ashlin passes me the pacifier, and I give
it to Everly, letting her suck on it while I set up the last of the lights and
my camera stand. I decided to leave her completely nude for the photos, with
the exception of a diaper. It just feels more natural.
    Perfect.
    I aim the camera and adjust the settings
and then take a few test shots, making sure everything looks good on the
playback before I begin. I want these pictures to be perfect. Amazing. And not
just because I want to get a good grade on the project, but because this is my
baby and this is going to be the memory I capture of this moment in time. A moment
that I have to hold and cherish for the rest of my days.
    Taking the pacifier from her, I get a few
quick shots of her with her lips poking out from when she was suckling before
she opens her mouth, searching for her binky. I take some more of her like
that. I love every one of her facial expressions. I could sit here and
photograph every minute of the day and never get tired of capturing her ever-changing
moments.
    I hear the front door open and shut, and
Aaron yells for me. I wave at Ashlin, telling her to go let him know where I
am. I was hoping he would stay away and not interrupt.
    He doesn’t.
    “What’s this? A photo shoot without her
favorite uncle?” Aaron says, coming in and immediately picking Everly up off
the soft downy blanket I have spread beneath her.
    “Oh hush and put her back down. I’m not
done taking pictures.”
    “Fine, but only if you get a picture with
the best piece of sports equipment known to man.”
    “What’s that? Your mouth or your dick?” I
ask as Lucas walks in the room.
    “Ha-ha. No,” he says, grabbing a bat and
laying it in front of Everly. He takes her hand and props it up against the
cool wood. I snap a few shots, because it really is cute seeing her cuddled up
against the bat, and I know if I don’t, he won’t ever leave me alone.
    “No, no, no. This isn’t going to work for
me. You can’t have that baby taking baseball pictures without a glove and ball.
Its sacrilegious.”
    “There you go with your damn French cuss
words again,” Aaron says, picking at Lucas.
    “Shut up. You’re just mad because you know
it’s true.” Lucas grabs his glove from his bag and nestles it beneath Everly’s
head.
    “Oui, belle.”
    I tap the button on top of the camera and
capture my precious daughter sleeping amongst the baseball items, and my heart
swells. She is so loved. Even at the tender age of two months, she has managed
to capture the hearts of two of this country’s most eligible bachelors without
lifting a single finger.
     
     
     
     
    Thirteen
years earlier . . .
     
    It's been three weeks now that we have
been living out of the motel room in the middle of nowhere. Well, technically
we are somewhere. I just don’t know where that somewhere is, and truthfully, I
really don’t care. I try my best to become invisible to her and Frank. It
seemed to be working for the most part, and then, all of a sudden, it wasn't
working at all. Mom made new friends that first week we arrived. I don’t know
their names. I don’t care. She’s like a chameleon, able to fit in anywhere we go.
I still