January 30
Lawson: just checking in.
February 3
Lawson: Are you back yet? I'm driving to Peoria. Heading out the 10th if you want a ride.
February 7
Lawson: Hope everything is good.
February 14
Lawson: Al just announced that you won't be back this year. I'm still here for you, no matter what.
… five minutes later…
Lawson: I'm going to stop texting so it doesn't look like I am some stalker, but if you need anything, even just a quiet place to be alone, you know the code for the house, help yourself.
He didn't honestly expect to hear from her. He hoped, but after weeks of radio silence, he didn't expect it. Honestly, he had completely forgotten about the offer, until he unlocked the front door a month later and heard the tv on in the living room.
"Hey," he called as he came around the corner. Ginny was sprawled out on the couch like she owned the place.
"Hey," she answered, as if her presence was the most normal thing in the world. "How was training?"
He tossed his bag toward the stairs, and sat down in his favorite chair. "It was good. Teams shaping up nicely. Blip and I made this awesome double play against the Mariners. Gordon was so pissed."
"I saw that. Nice work."
"You were there?"
"No, I was here, but I think you have every sports package known to man, and the games that weren't on tv were streaming online."
"Then why did you ask?"
"You know being there is different, and anyway, you did more than just play baseball."
"Not really, I'm not as young as I used to be. Spring training is hard on old bones."
"Hence me asking how it went. I could tell you were hurting after that slider at first. Reynolds is such an asshole sometimes."
"He is an asshole all the time, sometimes he just hides it better."
"Fair enough."
"So, we gonna talk about this?" he asked carefully.
Ginny chewed her lip for a moment. "I've been crashing in the guest room. Will Rachel been down more? I mean I get it if you two don't want me hanging around. I was really just… you said I could crash, and… Thing is I thought it would be good to have someone here watching the house. You live in a fish bowl and everyone knows you are gone so…"
"Rachel isn't coming down. She likes to stay in LA. You can stay as long as you want."
"But really, she probably won't like it. I guess I should have cleared out, or you know told you I was crashing. Things were just really hectic, and it's so much quieter here."
"Ginny, it's fine. Like you said, it would be nice to have someone watching the house, and the schedule has a lot of away games in the next few months."
"If you're sure."
"I'm sure, now what kind of pizza is that? I've been driving for six hours and I am starving."
"About that," she grimaced, turning the box around to reveal a pizza covered in fried green tomatoes and jalapeños.
"You know what? I changed my mind, I think you should go," he teased.
"Just try it ya big baby."
Mike took a bite. It wasn't bad. He wouldn't say it was good, but it was better than that pickled herring Rachel was always trying to get him to eat.
"So?"
"I don't hate it as much as you hate cilantro."
"You don't hate anything as much as I hate cilantro."
"True." He agreed taking another bite.
"Hey, Lawson?"
"Yeah?"
"There may or may not be a pepperoni and mushroom in the kitchen."
"Are you serious? Why didn't you say so?"
"I just like messing with you, I guess."
Mike rolled his eyes before making his way to the kitchen, when he came back with his plate a thought struck him. "How did you know I'd be here?"
She shrugged. "I didn't, but I just seemed like you might, and I wanted to make sure, just in case."
He grinned and dug into his dinner. They had been watching tv in silence for about an hour when she shifted to stretch and stand. He looked her over, only then noticing her slightly rounded stomach. She looked almost the same in leggings and a loose t shirt.
"You headed to bed?" he asked.
"Yeah, this thing is really taking it out of me," she sighed stifling a yawn.
"Alright, well see you in the morning."
"Night, Lawson."
"Night, Baker." He watched her climb the stairs. This was a very unexpected development. He hoped she would open up more about how she ended up at his place, but he wasn't going to push it. Being able to have someone to talk to at night was enough, for now.
