Chapter Eighteen: Take Me Out to the Ball Game

"Oh, he's adorable. It does get annoying when he won't let me do anything for myself." Abby laughed.

"I believe you. Then again, he's always been very protective of you, Abby." Susan said. "I'm sure he's just wants to make sure you don't have any more scares. It's charming, really. So you can't get out of bed at all?"

"I'm not supposed to leave the house or be on my feet for more than 10 minutes at a time. But Luka took me outside one day last week when he got home. We sat in the backyard under a tree. I fell asleep and burnt my legs. I've never enjoyed being slathered with aloe gel so much." Susan chuckled on the other line.

"At least one of us is having fun. Bed rest was hell for me. I'm amazed that you would even want to leave the house at all in that heat. I saw the temperatures for Chicago yesterday; it ain't pretty."

"It wasn't that bad, mid- afternoon with a breeze. Anyway, he's hovering because he's a little worried. There was an incident with a wine bottle." Abby was embarrassed to admit to her friend that she had slipped with her drinking.

"What happened?"

"My dad died. I told you about him, didn't I?"

"Yeah, he showed up at the house wanting to talk. He's dead? I'm so sorry, Abby."

"I didn't even know him, really. I was just upset over missed opportunities. Anyway, I got a little depressed and found the wine that Luka thinks I don't know about. It's fine that he has it; just because I can't drink doesn't mean he can't. He came in just as I sat down with a glass." She heard Susan gasp on the other line.

"What did he do?"

"Surprisingly, nothing too dramatic. He watched me for a minute; I think I really scared him."

"Of course you scared him. You're a reformed alcoholic, 7 months pregnant with his child, sipping on a glass of wine."

"I would never drink enough to harm the baby. A glass of wine every now and then is actually healthy for you."

"True, but I don't think Luka was quite with you there. Anyway…"

"He drank it. He downed the whole glass."

"I would've expected him to blow up."

"Me too." Abby paused. "You know, he really handled it well. I was being very… difficult. He asked how many glasses I had and I snapped at him. He completely disarmed me by not yelling back. It's little things like that, that remind me how much we both have changed."

"He's always been a sweet guy, and he really loves you. A blind man could see that."

"Yeah, I know. He reminded me he wasn't Carter; that he would never condemn me for a glass of wine. I told him about my dad dying, that he came to say goodbye and I wouldn't let him. And then he just held me while I cried. I'm in love with the sweetest man alive. He really understands me, Susan." Abby said, her voice soft with wonder.

"It sounds like it. I'm just can't believe he managed to calm you down without throwing things or yelling." Susan heard a scuffle on the other end. Abby giggled? "Abby?" She was completely ignored. She faintly heard Abby yelling at Luka, half-hearted. Both were laughing.

"Hi, Susan." Luka said, a little out of breathe, his Croatian accent stronger than she'd ever heard it before.

"Hey, Luka." He chuckled, at Abby, she supposed

"Luka, give me the phone back." Abby voiced from somewhere near the phone.

"No, it's my turn to talk to Susan. You've been on the phone for an hour." He complained. Susan did her best to hold back a smile. They were so cute together. What she couldn't see was Abby standing on the bed trying to get the phone from Luka who was standing a foot out of her reach. "How are you Susan?"

"I'm doing well, thanks. Are you excited about being a Dad?" Again, she thought, but didn't say.

"Yes, I am. It won't be too long now- two months. Are you going to come down and see us after the baby is born?" He waved Abby off as she tried in vain to reach for the phone.

"I'm planning on it, although- between Cosmo, Chuck, and the hospital- it's going to be interesting." The two laughed.

"I know how that is. Well, let us know when you're coming down. We have plenty of room in this house of ours."

"I will. Is it time for that surprise you were telling me about?"

"Yup, I'll let you know how it goes. Bye, Susan."

"Bye, Luka." Susan hung up with a smile on her face. It didn't last long, thanks to a page from the hospital. Back to life. They sound so happy and after all they've been through- it's about damn time.

When Luka hung up, he turned back to his glaring, pregnant girlfriend.

"I was in the middle of a conversation, Luka." He gave her his boyish grin.

"I think you'll like my plans better. Besides, you were only talking about me."

"You were listening to my conversation!"

"No, but that just told me it was true." She put her hands on her hips, lips pursed unhappily at him.

"That's playing dirty." He just laughed.

"I wouldn't talk if I were you. You were playing pretty dirty last night." Abby's jaw dropped. Once she recovered, she huffed.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed it because that's the last you'll be getting for a while!" She almost laughed at the look on his face. "Aww…come here." For once she was taller than him, standing on the bed. He wrapped his arms around what was left of her waist, burying his head in her shirt. She laid her head on his, playing with his hair. "I'm sure you'll survive; it isn't the end of the world."

"Maybe not for you…" Luka mumbled. He pulled back, dropping his hands to her hips, and kissed Abby's belly. "This is all your fault, you know." He whispered to the baby. Abby laughed.

"We had a big part in it. You can hardly blame the baby."

"Details, details." Luka looked up at Abby, kissing her soundly before lifting her from the bed. "Alright, ready to go then?"

"Go? I'm on bed rest. Remember the whole preterm labor thing?"

"Yeah, but I thought we might go out. Do you feel up for a baseball game?" Abby looked at him, surprised.

"Don't you remember the last time you tried to play baseball?"

"I'm not playing and I figured I might actually learn something." He gave her a lopsided smile.

"Who's playing?"

"Cubs vs. White Sox."

"At 'The Cell'? You got seats to the annual Cubs vs. White Sox game?" Abby practically squealed with excitement.

"It's a big deal?"

"You've been in Chicago for 6 years and don't know this is a big game? It's the two Chicago teams playing against each other." Abby couldn't believe it. Luka just shrugged.

"I've never really cared that much about baseball. This will be my first game."

"Well in that case, we have to get the foam hands and hot dogs! You can't go to a baseball game without having hot dogs."

"What about crackerjacks." Abby made a face. "Okay, maybe not." He took her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Let's go."

As they entered the stadium, Abby started singing:

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Luka gave her an odd look.

"Don't tell me you've never heard that song." Luka shook his head. "It's an American classic!"

"Okay…" Abby sighed.

"You've got a lot to learn, bub."