A Home-run with Love

Chapter Two

KAIA

After the "surprise visit" from my "father", I just knew that I wanted to be alone for the rest of my hospital visit.

I thought my birthday was already ruined with me staying at the hospital with a minor concussion and a bruised nose. But having my drunk of a father trying to enter my hospital was the cherry on that shitty sundae of a birthday. And I bet that my sperm donor was only there to ask for some money, so he could feed into his drinking.

And to be honest, I don't know why I was so embarrassed about my sperm donor trying to make a surprise visit yesterday. But again I am always embarrassed when he shows up in my life. What I don't know is why I was so worried about Ryan knowing who is my sperm donor.

I didn't get a chance to go over the question in my head when there was a light but prominent knock on my door. I climbed out of my blush pink queen-sized panel bed and walked through my 674-square-foot studio apartment. I walked over to the front door and looked through the peephole to see a big bouquet. That is the only thing I could see in the peephole.

I was confused, so I opened the door to find Ryan standing outside in the hall with a big bouquet of different flowers. One, I don't know what he is doing in my apartment building- let alone at my door. Two, I don't even know how he found my address. But here he was with a bouquet.

Ryan smiled and asked, "May I come in?"

I opened the door all the way and stepped to the side, allowing the baseball player in and watching him take his shoes off before closing the door. I led him over to what is my kitchen in my studio apartment and gestured for him to sit at my white marble kitchen island. 

I grabbed a pink glass (I got a set of pink glass cups from Ikea), and set it down on the counter. I opened my fridge (really the freezer) and pulled my pink ice tray, taking a few ice cubes out and then putting the round ice cubes into the pink glass cup. I made my way over to the sink and turned the water on before putting the cup under the running water.

Once the cup was full of water, I passed the filled cup with a pink coaster to Ryan and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Well for one, I want to apologize again for the foul ball and overstepping last night." He explained before taking a sip of the iced water and then setting the glass on the coaster.

Once again I accepted the second apology while I grabbed my pink frosted vase for the flowers. I took the bouquet and put it in the vase before getting some water in the vase. I set the vase down on the kitchen island.

"My second question is how did you get my address," I asked.

"I have my ways," Ryan answered vaguely.

I immediately shook my head and responded, "That's not good enough of an answer for."

Ryan sighed and answered again, "Okay...I asked a nurse for your address and also found it was your birthday yesterday."

I slowly raised a perfectly arched and trimmed eyebrow and said, "Yeah, and what about it?"
"Since your birthday was ruined because of me, I thought it would be nice to do a do-over for your birthday."

I leaned against the white marble counter and asked, "Really?"

Ryan quickly nodded his head and said, "Yeah. I just thought it was the right thing to do."

"Thank you. That is really nice of you to do." I quickly changed the subject and asked, "Wait a minute! How did you get inside? You need to either have a key or be buzzed in why one of the tenants."

Ryan quickly looked away with his cheeks burning bright cherry red and mumbled under his breath, "I waited for someone to open the door."

I slowly raised an eyebrow and asked, cupping my right ear teasingly, "What did you say?"

"I waited for someone to open the door," Ryan repeated a little louder.

I immediately covered my mouth to hold a giggle because I could imagine this 6'6" man holding that big bouquet of colorful flowers and pacing back and forth in front of the front entrance as he waited for the opportunity for the door to be opened. That image is adorable to me.

He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What is so funny?"

"Oh...nothing," I said with a knowing smile on my face.

He didn't look convinced by my response and asked again, "What is so funny, Kaia?"

I leaned against the white marble countertop and said, "I was just imagining you pacing in front of the main entrance waiting for someone to open the door."

The blush on his face spread a little more when I spoke about the image I had of him. Because his body language told me that I was right. Now I could not hold back the laughter. The confirmation of my scenario couldn't help but make me laugh.

He looked down at his lap in embarrassment and murmured under his breath for a second time, "It's not that funny."

I stopped laughing and took a few deep breaths before speaking up, "Ryan, I am so sorry. I just think it is so cute and sweet that you would go to that much trouble for this."

"Cute?" He looked up at me and repeated.

"Yes. Cute and sweet."

He immediately flashed a bright smile and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," I said and took the empty glass, washing it with a little soap and warm water before putting it back in the cabinet.

"Back to the original subject...when do you want to do the birthday do-over?"

I shrugged slightly and answered, "I have to hold off for the birthday do-over since my doctor advised that I rest until I'm medically clear."

"I understand. You have to follow doctors' orders when it comes to concussions." He stood up and quickly added, "I can wait until you are 100% better."

He grabbed my phone off the island, unlocking the Apple device with my face before he explained, "Here's my phone number."

I was caught off guard when he grabbed my phone and put his contact information into my phone. But it does make sense because I do need to reach him when my doctor medically clears me. I was just surprised by his initiative.

He passed his phone to me and said, "Put your phone number in my phone."

I gently nodded and put my contact information into his saved contacts. Once I was finished putting my contact information, I took a quick photo and saved the picture as my profile picture. I put my contact information under "Kaia, the girl whose nose I broke".

"Here you go, Ryan," I said with a teasing smile on my face and passed his phone back to him.

He glanced down at the screen and noticed the name for my contact before looking at me with a raised eyebrow and said, "Really?"

I smiled innocently with a sprinkle of teasing, "Yes, really."

He laughed and shook his head while he said, "You're not going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope, not a chance." I answered with a quick shake of my head.

He chuckled some more and then hopped off the blush-pink velvet bar stool before saying, "Anyways, I have to go. I have practice in an hour."

I quickly stood up and led him to the front door. He quickly put his shoes back while I opened the door for him. He stepped out and said goodbye before heading down the hallway to the elevator.

I closed the door and walked back over to my "kitchen", looking at the big and beautiful bouquet. I could feel butterflies in my stomach while I leaned over the white marble countertop and took a big whiff of the floral scent that the many colorful flowers gave off.

I whispered to myself, "What a sweet guy."