Marisol's POV- October 2018

I looked away from the article I was reading as I felt a light nudge on my shoulder.

"Are you almost done?"

Guess the travel pillow was not doing Cody any good, and neither was the sleeping mask I had let him borrow.

"No" I answered.

He pouted and leaned his head against his headrest.

"I can't sleep"

I was nowhere near done with my reading.

"Can you hold my hand?"

"I can do that" I replied.

He smiled as I moved the armrest so he could comfortably stretch his arm over.

"I might have to let go of your hand to take some notes" I warned as I took his hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"That's okay"

He adjusted the eye mask and leaned back on his seat. I turned my attention back to my reading as I 'massaged' his fingers. After a couple of minutes, I took hold of his hand with my left hand in order to take some notes.

At the moment, we were on our way to Atlanta for Game 3 (maybe 4) of the NLDS. It was a Sunday game, which is I was able to join Cody. His family would be joining him too, and well I knew that Mrs. Jennifer Bellinger would want to 'talk'. There was no way I would be able to avoid them, but you bet I was going to try. Desi did not make the trip because she had to be at work on Monday, so you know that support was nonexistent at the moment.

"Oh, good you're awake"

I finished reading the paragraph before looking up.

"I was hoping we could talk"

Before I could give her a response, she continued.

"But I see your busy"

Oh, so I had an option?

"You'll also wake Cody if you move"

That's why she was giving me an option.

"I was hoping we could talk? Once we're in Atlanta"

I kinda didn't want to, but it would be rude.

"I mean, if we have to" I found myself saying.

The more tired I was, the more unfiltered I became.

"You've avoided it long enough"

I smiled.

"I haven't avoided anything" I stated.

She frowned.

"Marisol, you're being childish"

I bit the inside of my cheek as Cody squeezed my knee and spoke up,

"Mom, leave Marisol alone"

He lifted the eye mask and looked at his mom.

"She's busy Mom, and we talked about this already"

Once she was gone, Cody drowsily turned to look at me.

"You don't need to talk to her"

I couldn't help, but laugh as I took a good look at him.

"You look adorable" I noted.

He rolled his eyes as a smile formed on his face.

"You don't need to talk to her"

"I'll talk to her eventually," I said to him.

On my own terms.

"Hold my hand?"

"Let me drink some water first," I told him.

I was feeling a bit under the weather at the moment and had been dealing with a scratchy throat for the past 2 days.

"Are you feeling any better?"

There was no point in lying to Cody, at least, not in front of his face because he'd figure it out.

"No" I admitted.

He sighed.

"I got a proposition for you"

I hummed for him to continue as I turned my attention back to reading.

"When we land, let's go eat some Pho"

"Okay" I said agreeing.

The soup would help with the ache.

"It's a date"

I smiled as he leaned over and pecked my cheek.

"Go back to sleep" I told him.

"How much till you're done?"

"Not much" I answered.

He slowly nodded and covered his eyes with the mask.

"I'll leave you to it"

I smiled and took a hold of his hand as he blindly started looking for my hand. He fell back asleep and I went back to reading. This is was as intimate as we had been over the last few weeks. We were always tired when we got a chance to be alone. School was kicking ass and baseball was kicking Cody's. Either way, the only thing keep us sane were each other.