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Walking toward me in the center of it all, the special Deaf Awareness Night edition of my jersey hanging just slightly too big off of her shoulders. Her smile beams against the yellow and blue sitting right behind our logo as she shines it at me.

She's happy. Happier than I've seen her in a really long time. Maybe ever. Just effortlessly comfortable in a place I hope feels like home to her too.

And that might be the most perfect part of it all.

"You ready?"

My little sister shakes her head, not a hesitation in sight. "Born ready," she signs, winking as she drops her hands back to her sides.

"Good," I say, grateful that I don't need to force words past the emotion caught in my throat. "You know where you're going? What you're doing?"

She nods. "Cecily walked me through it like a hundred times just now."

She points over her shoulder where Cecily is standing, holding the hand of a woman with deep red, ringlet curls who's staring a hole through me. I raise a hand, and the woman I can only assume is her girlfriend quickly waves back. Cecily nudges her with her elbow, rolling her eyes and lifting her chin to me.

"Alright, good," I say to V, chuckling. "You're gonna stand with Mom until they wave you over for the anthem. I'm gonna warm up, then stand along the foul line same as always okay? I'll be right there." I point to the spot by the dugout.

Vienna nods.

"You got this, V."

She smiles ear to ear again.

"Gloves on or off tonight?" I ask, brushing my thumb past her implant.

Her mouth softens, not sad—steady—the corners still curled.

"Off," she signs with no hesitation.

I wink at her and pull her in close, hugging her with all of the pride rushing through me.

When she pulls back, I tip my chin toward where my mom and Tom are standing along the sidelines. "Go," I say before I get too worked up. "It's almost show time."

Vienna turns right around and sprints away, and I head toward the dugout.

"Is she here yet?"

JJ all but knocks me over as my foot hits the first step.

"My sister?" I ask, grabbing my glove.

He shakes his head. "Nah, I saw V already. Performed the full anthem for her." He stands up straighter, his chest pushed forward. "Been practicing for weeks."

I chuckle to myself. "You fix that whole whore of the brave thing?"

"Yes," he shoots back. "It's not my fault that sign is so close to the one for home."

"Yeah, well…" I laugh. "You're just lucky you showed me before you started dropping language like that in front of my little sister."

"Seriously," he breathes, his brows high. "That definitely could have been bad."

I shake my head, sliding my glove over my hand.

"But no," he continues. "I meant Lenny—is she here yet?"

More nerves somehow pile on to the ones I already have. "Uh, no," I say, attempting to sound casual. "I haven't seen her yet."

"But she's coming?" he's quick to ask.