"The only way you can predict the future is to build it." -Alan Kay


March 2017

It's a beautiful day in California, the sun is shining, and there's a cool breeze whipping through the trees. Olivia is sitting in the stands watching her energetic 9-year-old sprint around the baseball diamond. He's practicing for his afternoon game. It's one of the most important games of the little league sport this season. Today's game is all about fathers and sons playing together.

"Go, Sydney, go," Olivia cheered as he ran past her. The boy smiled and waved but kept running. She was extremely proud of the young man she's raising. Leaning back against the metal, She fanned the air with her hand.

"There's mommy," Olivia heard, and when she looked up, her middle child was running towards her. "Mommy, mommy, Tommy took off his diaper in the kitchen, so daddy had to chase him." the 6-year-old tattled.

Her lips curled upward, watching her husband walk up with the youngest of the bunch in one arm and his equipment in the other. He looked exhausted. "Chatty Cathy here. That was supposed to be our secret." Fitz playfully admonished.

"Ok, daddy, mommy, pretend you didn't hear that," Asata giggled. Olivia covered her ears playing along with her daughter. Fitz then laid the sleeping child in her arms and sat beside her.

"Hi." wearing a large grin,

"Hi. Long day?" she asked.

"The longest, where's Syd?" looking around

Pointing ahead to the children huddled around their coach, and Fitz spotted his number. "I think he's giving them more insight into the gameplays. I say they should just run rampant and have fun. Speaking of; are you ready?" Liv asked

The entire game is built on fathers and sons having a chance to bond and enjoy the day, so every part of the game incorporates a parent. Fitzgerald will be throwing out the first pitch. Sydney's father was more of a sports spectator than an actual player, but he'd been practicing from the minute he learned about the game. Their son loves sports, playing, and watching, and he's surpassed so many of his playmates out on the field, so Fitz is really just hoping to impress him with the techniques he's picked up.

"I'm ready," Fitz replies with confidence. "I'll be back. I'm gonna go see how Syd is doing and see if he needs anything."

The kids were back on the diamond in their positions, ready to play a scrimmage to get warmed up. As soon as Sydney spotted his father, he ran off the batting mound and into Fitz's arms.

"Dad, dad, did you see me?" he asked with the brightest smile, his mother's smile.

"I saw you porkchop. Are you having fun?" he rubbed his back while they walked off the grass.

"Yeah, but I'm nervous. What if I miss the ball and strike out," His fears were valid. Every kid has a twinge of doubt before their big moment. Warm air blew from his lips as he looked at his dad, the only man he has ever known as his father. "What if we don't win?"

Fitz got down on bended knee; he took his son by shoulders and said, "There is a chance you could strike, but all the games I have been to, I've never seen it happen. We could lose, but I think today should be more about the impact of you and me stepping out on that field together than about who's winning. Your jersey might say number five, but you'll always be my number one. Let's have some fun." he says upbeat, hoping his optimism and cheerfulness transfer to Sydney.

Mirroring his father's smile, Sydney leaned forward and hugged him, showing that he trusted him.

"Okay, let's get out there."

Sydney feeling more confident in his abilities, gave Fitz the best relief, he wants to impress his son, and his son wants to impress him. It's the sweetest and most ironic thing yet.

By the evening, the entire stadium was crowded with spectators, mostly the wives and grandparents of the players. The boys were really excited, not one frown in sight.

With the bat thrown over his shoulder, Sydney stood with the catcher, ready to play. Fitz assumed the windup position, with his pivot foot on the pitching rubber and both shoulders facing Sydney to some degree. In two seconds flat, the ball was soaring into center field. Sydney stood stunned before he heard...

"Run, Syd runs" his mother and sister shouted from the bleachers. Speeding like a bullet, he took off running to 1st base...then 2nd base…third base…And then he slid on his belly into his home base. Securing the points for his team. It was his first home run of the game, and he's feeling invincible.

The crowd whooped and cheered, "Grant, Grant, Grant."

After the game, the Grant family went out for dinner to celebrate the victory. Fitz and Olivia also had other news they wanted to share with the kids on this rare occasion. Usually, Olivia was at the office, and Fitz was at home with the youngest or working on his latest novel series. So tonight was exciting for a multitude of reasons.

When the fivesome arrived at the cheesecake factory, they were seated right away in their usual booth. Syd and Asata are on one side, and their parents are sitting across from them. Tommy was up, and he was quite the handful, babbling and banging his silverware until Fitz reached across the table and took them.

"Congratulations, baby, order whatever you want." Liv awarded,

"Yeah, good job," his little sister said, giving him two thumbs up.

"Thank you, guys!" The boy's face beamed with delight.

After dinner was served and eaten, Fitz allowed Syd and Asata to order dessert. A little into the treat fest, Olivia called the attention of her kids. Fitz grabbed her hand to ease her anxiety before they spilled the beans.

however, she chickens out and throws Fitz under the bus. "Daddy has something to tell you guys."

Not at all surprised, Fitz smirks and announces to them, "We're having another baby."

The eldest was in mid-bite when the announcement came; he dropped his fork, watching both parents intensely. "But Tommy was just born." no joy detected.

"No, he wasn't," Fitz spoke up, stunned by the reaction and response.

"Yes, he was; he's two years old, that was recent" Olivia sat perplexed by her son's behavior; she didn't expect at his big he would be so affected by the prospect of another sibling. To be fair, he didn't have the best reaction to Asata's conception, and when Tommy was born, he seemed uninterested.

Next to Sydney, Asata was visibly excited, and she wasn't hiding the large grin plastered on her face. Sydney didn't say much for the remainder of dinner, and when they got home, he went straight to his room; neither Fitz nor Olivia stopped him.

Olivia was bathing Tommy while Fitz tucked Asata in. As Fitz is walking back to check on Olivia and Tommy, he sees the glow of Sydney's lamp under the door. So he decides this might be a good time to figure out what's going on with him.

He knocks softly before going in. "Hey, can we talk?"

Sydney sets the Thor comic he's reading on the night table and sits up. Fitz takes that as his cue, and he asks what's up lately. Being 9, Sydney doesn't quite know how to express what he's feeling or put it into words without sounding like a brat. His parents constantly praise him for being a good big brother, but he doesn't get more than that from them, and it bothers him. And learning about the new edition didn't help that.

"I don't know, daddy; I'm not mad about the new baby."

Fitz was slowly piecing everything together, which made it easier to understand what he was trying to convey. "I'm glad you could talk to me, and I want you to know you can always tell me what you're feeling and what's bothering you."

"I know, daddy, it's just sometimes I get scared, and I don't want you and my mom to be mad or disappointed in me."

"Oh, son, I could never be disappointed in you; I love you too much. Everyone has emotions, and it's always ok to express them. The new baby will be an adjustment for us all, your mom most of all, she's carried each of you, and you've all been blessings to us, so don't ever think for a second we're not happy you're here, and more of you just mean more love." He chuckled at his own corniness.

"Thanks, dad, and tell mom I'm sorry for how I acted at dinner." Touching a hand to his mouth, he stifled a yawn. It was past his bedtime.

"Your mother understands, but I will tell her anyway. Goodnight, man" Fitz kissed his temple and switched out his lamp. As he was exiting the room, Syd stopped him with one last question.

"Daddy, will I always be your baby?" He looked at his father in the darkness.

"Yes, porkchop, you will always be daddy's, first baby." Fitz saw a smile spread across his little face before he said goodnight once more.

A sigh slipped past his lips as he leaned against the door. The last 9 years have been a whirlwind of emotions and tough decisions; one thing Fitzgerald was one hundred percent on was his love for his son.

Nevertheless, he'll never forget how they became a family.

9 years and 10 months earlier...


Author note

Hi, it's me again. I want to thank everyone for their warm welcome and kind words. It's a little crazy that so many of you are here in just one day, but I'm excited to continue the story. Next chapter, we will be taking a trip day memory lane, and I hope you are all ready for it. Like always, leave a review. I love reading everyone's opinions and predictions, and I do read all of them. also, this picks up in the year 2017, I would have done it presently but 2017 was a good year for me.

Love and light- Skye-Anne