A/N: Thank yous to Team Spiderward for all you do. xx
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. The NHL owns anything that sounds familiar. I'm here having fun.
/ /\ (oo) /\ \
Chapter 51
After beating the Flyers Friday night and the Jets on Sunday, we were all hoping our luck had changed for the better, banking two points in the standings with each regulation win. Unfortunately, our winning streak was short-lived when we lost in overtime to the Kings last night two to one.
While that game could have gone either way, it's been a welcome sight to observe the return of Ben's confidence and focus on the ice. It doesn't hurt that we added a point to our total in the standings by making it to overtime, but two would have been better.
I'm scheduled to start against Chicago tomorrow night, but before we travel there this evening, we have a couple of important events on our calendar this afternoon. First is Bella's doctor's appointment, then afterward, we'll pick up Scout and Shadow for a shortened version of our team's Family Day photo shoot at AAC this evening.
There's no containing my smile as Bella exits the building and points to their sign I noticed earlier. Stepping out of the SUV, I walk around to the other side, ready to open her door and help her inside.
"Did you see the addition to our sign?" she asks with her approach. "They finished it this morning."
Her name is now hyphenated with Cullen added to it.
Barely able to contain my pride at something so simple, I nod. "I thought my day couldn't get any better, spending the rest of it with you, but you've proved me wrong again. Want to take a picture?"
Bella chuckles. "Sure."
She humors me, posing for a few shots with the sign, then I snap a couple of selfies of us in front of it before helping her inside the SUV.
After returning to my spot behind the wheel, I grin. "Hello, beautiful."
My eyes pass over her rosy cheeks and radiant skin. Bella is so fucking gorgeous. The app is right. There's something to the pregnancy glow she's rocking currently.
Bella smiles. "Hey, handsome. How was practice this morning?"
"Good." Linking our fingers together, I bring them to my lips, leaving a kiss on the back of her hand. "How was your morning?"
Leaning close, she waits until her smile slowly fades. "No kiss on the lips? You know I'm not contagious."
I know. She's almost over whatever bug she had last week, but I love teasing her a little. "I bet your hands are cleaner than your dirty mouth."
"Edward!"
Waking up this morning with my dick disappearing between her lips was a sight and feeling that never gets old. After a quick kiss to her mouth, I begin our drive to her doctor's office, while I can feel her eyes on me.
"Marcus said Deedee was insatiable during the second trimester and you're at week eleven. Almost there. It's okay to admit you can't get enough of me." I wink, squeezing her hand.
With a spark of mischief dancing in her eyes, Bella cautions, "You're lucky to be getting any action at all, mister."
When her words and actions said otherwise earlier today, we both know that isn't true.
"Am I? We can move this party to the back seat for a little afternoon delight," I offer suggestively with a wide grin and a glance in the rearview mirror. "The windows are tinted."
"What am I going to do with you?" Bella replies. It isn't a no, but she swiftly changes the subject. "How big is Pumpkin this week?"
I smile because I checked earlier and read through what to expect for her appointment today. "The size of a lime."
"Last week was a strawberry, this week a lime. It reminds me of how much I miss margaritas. Why are all the points of reference food?" Bella chuckles.
"Are you hungry? Did you eat lunch?"
"Yeah. Rose chose where we ordered today. I had a cup of soup and a sandwich from a deli nearby. It was okay." She shrugs. "I may grab something else when we pick up Scout and Shadow. I'll need to change my clothes too."
Pulling into the parking lot, I'm looking for a spot close to the door when a familiar face exits the building.
"Is that Deedee?" Bella asks, shifting to sit a little taller in her seat to get a better view.
I nod. "It looks like her."
"Just pick a spot, Edward," Bella urges impatiently.
I barely have the SUV stopped before my wife opens the door and shouts, "Deedee!"
Turning her head at Bella's voice, Deedee walks toward our vehicle while I slide from the driver's seat.
"Hey, girlie." Deedee shares a dazed smile.
"Hey." After a quick embrace, Bella asks, "What are you doing here?"
Deedee shakes her head. "I-I took your advice and had an appointment with your doctor. They were able to fit me in with a last-minute cancellation. Um. She was . . . great."
"Yeah?" Bella's face fills with concern. "Is everything okay? What did she say?"
Deedee appears lost in thought before her gaze returns to Bella. "I'm pregnant!"
"Dee! Really?"
"Yes! Holy shit. I can't believe it. The lady in Mexico—it worked. Her stuff worked. We followed her directions, despite some of Marcus's protests. Or-or maybe it's just my time. Eleven years later and I'm pregnant again. I've been holding my breath for the past few months, hoping it was true," Deedee reveals, wiping at the corners of her eyes.
"We're so happy for you." Bella embraces her in another hug. "Congratulations."
"Thank you." After she pulls away, Deedee's eyes shift to me. "You can't tell Marcus. He doesn't know."
"I won't say a word," I promise, offering her a hug, which she accepts gratefully. "Congratulations."
"Thank you. We're adopting and now this. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. I have so much to do. Clearly, buy a bigger swear jar." She snorts. "We're going to have a full house. I just can't believe it's happening. Marcus is going to shit when I tell him. And-and we have that thing this evening—I still need to pick up Alec. I need to get going. Do you have an appointment today?"
Bella nods. "Yeah, a routine check-up. We scheduled it so Edward could be here before they fly out tonight."
"Are you feeling okay after last week?" Deedee asks. "You look good."
"I'm much better." My wife smiles reassuringly. "Thanks for all the suggestions. They helped."
"You know that Rose and I got you. I guess, I'll see you both later?"
"You will," I confirm. "And our lips are sealed."
"I hope I can keep it under wraps. How do I sit on this kind of news?" Deedee laughs nervously.
"We don't know." I chuckle, recalling Bella blurting out our news in similar fashion at her parents' wedding. "He'll be happy to hear it."
"I know. I may need to sit in my car and just process this for a bit. Wish me luck that I don't tell Alec before his father."
We all share a laugh, then Bella and I wish her, "Good luck."
After a wave to Deedee, I guide Bella inside, entering her doctor's office. She stops at the front desk, letting them know she checked-in online and we take a seat. We barely have a chance to settle into chairs before the door opens and a nurse calls her name.
"Bella?"
"That's me." My wife stands and I follow her, letting the door close behind me.
"We'll get your weight first. Dad, if you would like, you can wait in patient room number three," the nurse suggests.
"Is that okay?"
Bella nods. "We'll catch up shortly."
Walking the short distance to the exam room, I step inside the small space and take a seat on the only regular chair. My eyes scan the walls filled with various depictions of a woman's body throughout pregnancy and others featuring female reproductive organs. I settle into my chair and watch an electronic screen that displays advertisements that appear to be pregnancy centered. Fortunately, I don't have to wait long before Bella rejoins me.
"Hey." She grins.
"Hey. Everything okay?"
"Yeah. I had to leave a urine sample."
"Bella, you can take a seat on the exam table," the nurse says with a nod of her head. "I need to check your vitals."
We watch as she fits the blood pressure cuff around my wife's arm. With a press of a button, the machine hums its progress. While we wait, she adds a pulse monitor to Bella's finger and a thermometer under her tongue.
With the first readings she nods. "Ah, there we go. One-twenty over eighty. That's normal. Pulse is fine and temperature is . . . good. Any changes or concerns since your last visit?"
"No, but I want to discuss the lab results from my last visit with Dr. Leone," Bella says.
The nurse smiles while tapping on the computer tablet, adding the data to Bella's record. "I'll make a note and Dr. Leone will be in shortly. She's with a patient now and there's someone ahead of you."
"Okay. Thank you."
With the closing of the door, I stand, unable to sit still.
"Nervous?" Bella asks.
"No. Excited. Every appointment we get a little more information about Pumpkin."
My wife nods in agreement.
"And I don't like being all the way across the room from you," I say with a shrug.
"It's like one step." She chuckles.
"I said what I said, and I stand by that." I take that one step and settle my hand on Bella's leg. "Now that I'm over here. How about a kiss?" I lean close and pucker my lips.
Bella's smile widens before she kisses me.
Moving around to the end, I have time to check out the exam table, unlike our last time here when we spent most of the visit in her doctor's office. "Maybe I should have been a doctor."
With her feet dangling off the side, Bella only laughs and shifts her position slightly, making the paper crinkle. "Really? That would be a lot of education, and I thought you said that wasn't your thing."
She's right, but that doesn't stop my curiosity. There's a hidden extension that slides out easily her doctor used last time. After I push it back in place, I notice another extension near the floor—a step Bella used to get on the table.
"Or maybe I should just be your doctor and do my own exam." I smirk, glancing toward different sizes of latex gloves mounted in boxes on the wall. "The extra-large will probably fit my hands. What do you think, Doc? I know you're a fan of my fingers. Put your feet in the little foot things. I want to see how those work."
"Edward."
"What? I'm learning. This is all new to me," I reply as innocently as possible, bypassing the gloves. "And you never let us have any fun at your office."
"My doctor could walk in at any moment," she warns. "What are you doing?"
"Come on, Doc. Where's your sense of adventure?"
After she readjusts her position, I remove her shoes, setting them under the chair, then guide each foot onto the cushioned rests.
"The nurse said we have time. We should make the most of it. Lean back," I instruct, wishing she had worn a skirt today, but I ease her suit pants higher, exposing her ankles and shins. "Shouldn't you undress and put on one of those flimsy gowns that opens in the back?" I wiggle my eyebrows at the thought. "Or front."
Bella snorts. "The nurse would have set out one with a drape if it was needed for this visit. There. You have the full visual. Happy?"
"You have no idea." This has been quite the productive scouting mission. She's the perfect height for my dick, but today, I'm all about her comfort. "Relax."
My wife chuckles, staring at the ceiling. "Easy for you to say. You're not on an exam table in a vulnerable position. No woman finds this relaxing."
"Then it's my job to change your mind. You're going to like this." Glancing lower, I open and close the two drawers full of supplies. "There must be some lube in here."
I'm actually looking for lotion, but I can't resist teasing her.
"Edward," she whispers. "We can't have sex in here."
"Not what I'm thinking, but I'll keep that in mind for next time." I wink.
"There won't be a next time."
When I only find small packets of lube, I give up my search, close the drawers, and rub my thumb along the arch of her foot, prompting her gasp.
"Oh, that's—"
"Let's see if I can convince you otherwise. When was your last massage?"
Bella giggles. "It wasn't like this, but this morning."
"Then it sounds as if your feet and legs are overdue." I grin. "Close your eyes and let yourself enjoy this moment."
My hands cup her feet one at a time, taking the time to work each foot thoroughly around the heel, along the arch, and between her toes before moving higher. I rub the muscles of her ankle and calf, stopping at the knee before I switch to the other leg, repeating my movements. When I'm finished, I ease out the table extension before removing her feet from the rests. After storing them away, I notice her eyes opening.
"Hey." I smile.
"You're done?" she asks sadly.
"Yeah."
"I almost nodded off."
"You're welcome." I smirk. "Need help sitting up?"
Bella shakes her head. "Not yet. I'm going to enjoy this floaty feeling for a bit."
Standing next to the side of the exam table, I lean over and kiss her smiling lips gingerly.
"That was good?"
"That was great. You can massage me anytime."
That's what I'm talking about.
Once Bella is ready, I help her sit up, then stand between her dangling legs as we spend the rest of the time trading kisses while waiting for her doctor. When there's a knock, we separate slightly, and Dr. Leone steps in the small room.
"Hello, Bella. Edward. How are you doing today?"
My radiant wife's eyes lock with mine. "I'm good."
"I would say Bella is doing great," I reply, returning to the chair near the door.
"You look a little flushed. Are you warm in here or is it just me?" Dr. Leone laughs, taking a seat on the circular rolling chair. "How are you doing since we talked?"
"Better. I'm almost completely past whatever I had," Bella replies.
"That's great to hear. If there's ever anything you're worried about, do not hesitate to call or leave me a message through your patient portal. I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
"Okay."
"So, how is Pumpkin treating you? Still having any nausea?" Dr. Leone taps on a computer tablet, scanning the screen.
"No. That seems to be fading. I'm feeling pretty good overall."
Dr. Leone nods, making a few notes. "You're approaching the second trimester, which is full of wonderful new discoveries and challenges. You'll want to start doing most of your planning for Pumpkin's arrival. It's time to think about things like childbirth classes, finding a pediatrician, and breastfeeding. You should consider what child care options you plan to use once you return to work. It's also an ideal time to update your vaccinations." She taps the tablet a few times, then continues, looking at Bella.
"You may observe many physical changes as Pumpkin grows, including an enlargement of your breasts and belly. As your body approaches delivery, Braxton-Hicks contractions are common—leg cramps too. With a change in your center of balance, you may notice some dizziness if you change position too quickly. You'll feel fetal movements during this next trimester, which is always exciting. Same with learning Pumpkin's gender, if that's something you choose to find out. Your weight is a little more than normal for eleven weeks, but your blood pressure is perfect. Urine is fine too."
"Great." Bella nods.
"Lean back and we'll find out how Pumpkin is doing." Dr. Leone slides out the table extension for Bella's legs, then moves to the sink, washing her hands. "You can leave your legs flat or bend them at the knees. Whatever you find comfortable. Go ahead and raise your blouse slightly and lower the waistband of your pants to expose your belly for me too."
While Bella adjusts her clothes, Dr. Leone dries her hands, then stands next to the table.
"I'm going to palpate your uterus. It could be uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be painful. Let me know if that happens."
"Okay."
We're all silent, as her hands glide over Bella's abdomen. "Mmmm."
"Is that a good 'Mmmm' or a bad 'Mmmm'?" Bella asks nervously.
Without answering her question directly, Dr. Leone reaches for a device from the counter next to the sink. "This is a fetal heart rate monitor. We'll use this at each visit, beginning today. We need a little gel."
While I know exactly where some is, I share a knowing smile with Bella, who only rolls her eyes, as her doctor searches through the side drawers of the exam table.
"Ah, here we go." With a tube in hand, she squirts gel on Bella's abdomen, causing her to flinch. "Sorry, I know it's cold, but I have a suspicion . . ."
We watch and wait as Dr. Leone glides the wand over and around the area until she stops. "There." Suddenly, a loud repeated whooshing sound fills the room.
There's no keeping the smile from my face, while my wife's is the picture of concern.
"Is it too fast?" Bella asks, at the thump-thumping sound.
"No." Dr. Leone shakes her head. "That part is perfect. Let me move the wand slightly."
The silence is deafening while we wait with building confusion for the sound to return, as she moves the wand to a different location.
"And there."
The rapid whooshing sound fills the room once again.
"That's a second heartbeat," Dr. Leone reveals.
Bella's eyes widen. "What did you just say?"
"There's a second heartbeat. I believe you're having twins," her doctor confirms, using a tissue to wipe the gel from Bella's skin. "Do you have time for an ultrasound today?"
"Twins?" Bella repeats with confusion.
"We have time," I respond.
"Yes, but I would like to confirm it with an ultrasound before you leave." Dr. Leone sets the monitor back on the counter, then helps my wife sit up. "Let me go see if our tech is available and we'll move to her room, then you can meet your babies. I'll be right back."
Once the door closes, I'm beyond elated while Bella's eyes narrow.
"You're a twin." She points before readjusting her clothes. "You did this to me with your magical fingers and super sperm."
"It feels good to hear you finally admit it." I grin proudly.
"Stop gloating. I'm pregnant with twins, Edward! Two babies. Oh, my—what the fuck is this craziness? You know that floaty calm from earlier? Gone. Completely gone. I agreed to one baby at a time. Not two. It's not just Pumpkin in there. It's pumpkins with a fucking S, Edward. There's an S. Two not one. Two! Why did this happen with you and not with Rose? She should have had twins, not me." Bella gasps. "That dream I had—every orgasm—I kept giving birth to pumpkins with a fucking S. It was a . . . premonition. I'm omniscient."
"That doesn't even sound like a real word." I stand, shuffle closer, then rest my hands on her thighs.
"It means I'm all-knowing. Oh my goodness, what else was in that dream? I can't remember. I told you what happened so you would help me remember. Maybe I'm not omniscient if I can't remember."
"We were having sex?" I suggest, giving her a supportive squeeze.
"Oh, sure that's what you remember. You with your charming good looks, sexy tattoos, and chiseled abs. Who can resist that? I'll tell you—no one. It's impossible. My eggs never stood a chance."
"Or maybe we had sex later that morning?" I lean closer for a kiss, but Bella pulls away.
"Stop with the sex. That's not helping. I can barely focus with your lips so close. What else was in that dream?"
"Uhhh . . ." I struggle to recall any significant details.
Bella sighs with exasperation. "You're no help. No wonder my brain is foggy. How can I be expected to think clearly with two babies fighting over every brain cell in my body? I need to sit down."
"You're sitting down," I point out, stealing a quick kiss.
"Is the room spinning? I can't believe Esme went through this. I need to talk with her. She agreed to care for Pumpkin, but I wonder if two will be a dealbreaker?"
"Doubtful."
"We're going to need to tell people. My parents. Al—he's going to flip. This probably puts a wrinkle in whatever his nursery plans are. I'm going to get big—huge. Bed ridden. I bet my dress for our wedding reception won't fit. I need bigger clothes and only stretchy materials at this point. I'm going to become some sort of She-Hulk. Victoria is going to kill me. I'm a horrible partner. I won't even be able to reach my patients or my toes. Edward, what are we going to do?"
"I promise you that we're going to be okay." I kiss her again, lingering a little longer. "I love you. Once we leave here, we're going to celebrate one of the best things—"
There's a knock on the door and Dr. Leone enters the room. "How are we doing?"
"Bella's freaking out," I respond.
"Tattletale," my wife grumbles.
"She's your doctor," I defend.
"Bella, that's perfectly understandable. I brought a couple of bottles of water." Dr. Leone smiles.
We accept the offered bottles. I open mine, then trade with Bella, who begins guzzling the water immediately.
"We'll need to work together on keeping Bella's stress levels at a minimum as her pregnancy progresses. It's more important than ever with multiple births. Edward, you're probably the biggest influence on her. Given your career choice and lifestyle, you already are familiar with what will work to keep her calm and stress-free. How are you feeling at this moment?"
I grin. "I'm shocked but thrilled. Having one baby is a blessing, but two feels like a miracle."
"When you mentioned being a fraternal twin at Bella's last visit, I knew that the possibility was there, and when I examined Bella today, she's measuring larger than normal," Dr. Leone explains. "Hearing the two heartbeats confirmed it for me, but I think you'll enjoy seeing them with an ultrasound."
"So, this is due to Edward being a twin?" Bella asks accusingly.
"Not necessarily. Sure there's a genetic component, but there are other things at play here. For example, things like your age—being over thirty and stopping birth control. Hyperovulation, when your body releases more than one egg during your cycle, can happen prior to conception. Twins occur naturally once in every two hundred and fifty pregnancies."
Bella's head bobs with understanding, as she processes the possibility that she could have contributed to us having twins as much as I did.
"So, it could be me too."
Dr. Leone smiles. "It's possible. I understand it will take some time for the news to sink in, but our ultrasound tech is waiting. Are you ready?"
"Before we go, I want to discuss my blood type and Rh factor results from my last visit. Do you believe they're accurate? Because the results weren't what I was expecting," Bella explains.
"I do, but would you like to retest? We can do another blood draw after the ultrasound and send the samples to a different lab."
Bella nods. "I want to do that. Don't send them to wherever you sent my last blood draw. And is it possible to conceal my name in some way?"
"I'll check with the nurse, but I believe we can do that."
"Thank you."
"Anything else that I can help you with today?" Dr. Leone asks, looking between us.
"This is . . . a lot. I'm going to need some time to process everything," Bella says as her eyes find mine.
"Ready?" I ask, reaching for her shoes.
"Not even close." My wife chuckles, then points to her belly. "But let's go meet these two."
/ /\ (oo) /\ \
Releasing a deep breath, I do my best not to fidget during our team flight to Chicago. From beside me, James remains engrossed in a new romance novel on his computer tablet, while my phone burns a hole in my pocket. I remove it again, browsing through my recent photos once more.
What a day—a complete blur.
Slowly, I move from one photo to the next, zooming in on Bella, proudly sharing her name change on the sign outside her office. My fingers touch the screen and spread apart, zooming in on the image for a better view of their sign that displays her change in marital status: Dr. Bella Swan-Cullen. I'm right there for everyone to see.
Fuck, I love her.
How did I get so lucky?
Shaking my head and without a clue, I switch to the ultrasound photos of our twins I snapped from the originals.
Holy shit.
We're having twins.
When we couldn't find a magnet in the entire house to add them to the refrigerator, Bella insisted she would use one of the extra frames from my office, displaying them on the fireplace mantle instead.
I can't believe these two gray blobs are our kids.
Two little versions of us.
Two Pumpkins.
Not one.
Dr. Leone stayed only long enough to see them appear on the ultrasound tech's screen. With a knowing smile, she shared her "Congratulations," promising to view the photos and check the measurements later before departing to visit other waiting patients.
I kept my cool during the ultrasound and on the quiet ride home, but all bets were off when we entered the house, barely making it inside before my wife was all over me. Marcus was right about the sex part, which is why we were running late. And I'm never late for team activities, but that one was worth it.
Once we arrived at AAC, Bella apologized to Coach for our tardiness and explained we were at her doctor's appointment that went longer than anticipated. I don't know what else was said between them since I was pulled away for new individual photos, plus candids with Ben and Stefan. Regardless, I watched Coach happily petting Scout and Shadow while listening to my wife.
I'm still starting tomorrow night. So, it's all good.
Swiping through my photos, there were a few surprises by those in attendance. Most notably, Victoria arrived with Caius and her white cat named Precious. They must be getting more serious than I thought or maybe he just needed someone in his corner by inviting them to attend. Jess was missing, but Demir explained her absence couldn't be helped since she had to work.
Junior and the rest of his "carpet walkers," as Stefan calls them, made an appearance for our team photos, then abruptly left. There was no sign of Senior, which I'm certain if he was in the building, he wouldn't be able to stay away from my wife or her partner.
With our impending departure, we posed for a few official photos of our little family. Scout and Shadow did better than I thought they would, but I think they're used to me taking their photos any chance I get. When asked by our team's social media manager, Bella agreed to posting our photos on the team's accounts.
After making plans with Marcus to bring me home once we return from Chicago, Deedee and Alec left with Bella, Scout, and Shadow.
And now my fingers itch to send my wife a new text.
I was hoping to at least make it to the hotel before I cave, but that seems to be an impossible task with every passing minute of this flight. I settle for posting one of our family and friends selfies on my Insta. Flipping between my choices, I narrow the decision to two photos, but I hesitate when Caius is in both.
Fuck it.
Now that I know they're benefiting from Victoria's posts, maybe this one will help fill their appointment calendar and build on their success too.
I type out the word "Family," adding green and black heart emojis to represent our Dallas hockey family. I'm tempted to use two orange hearts for the twins since they're included in the photo as well, but I decide that could be too revealing for Bella at this point. After posting, my phone vibrates with an incoming text.
I'm a blabbermouth.
I just can't shut up.
I knew Bella wouldn't be able to resist sharing our news about the twins to those closest to us. After texting Vladdy, I told James and Marcus.
Oh?
Yeah, I told Deedee on the ride home.
Then I called my parents and your mom.
Plus Al and Garrett.
And Rose.
And Victoria.
They're all happy for us.
I love you.
Especially your mouth. ;)
It has talents I dream about!
I still can't believe it.
Twins, Edward! Twins!
We're having PumpkinS!
What if we can't tell them apart?
And I love you too!
Start believing it.
We need two of everything.
Which reminds me, I need to order another orange sapphire band from Vladdy's aunt, Ilsa, to stack with Bella's wedding rings.
I know! I'm freaking out.
I also invited everyone to come over
for a watch party of your game tomorrow night.
I can't wait to see my man in action again!
I send her a couple of kissing emojis. Once we return from Chicago, we have five games left in our regular season schedule. We play two at home against Columbus and Vancouver. Then we finish the season with a final West Coast road trip to play against Anaheim, San Jose, and Los Angeles.
Is anyone going with you to Houston on Sunday?
Al volunteered to go.
Mom has only two treatments
of chemo and radiation left.
Can you believe it? Two!
The time is flying!
My plan is to travel with Bella to Houston for that final treatment once our team returns from Los Angeles. I know I'll be exhausted from the trip, but I don't want to miss it. While our regular season will be over, other teams will still be playing their final games, which means we could have a short wait before we find out if we're in the playoffs or not. I need to let Coach know, but with a few buffer days, there shouldn't be an issue.
We haven't discussed when Charlie and Renée will return to Dallas. Once her chemo and radiation treatments are complete, Renée will only need to be in Houston every two weeks for her clinical trial vaccinations. And I know Bella is eager to have them back home. So, I suspect, if Renée is feeling up to making the trip, they will pack up and leave Whitlock Ranch not long after her last treatment.
Before I can respond to Bella, Vladdy replies to my earlier text.
Congratulations!
Two Pumpkins!
Where are you tonight?
We're on our way to Chicago. You?
TB. Four-home stretch.
Two-road to finish reg seas.
You starting against Chicago?
You know it. ;)
KTA and tell Doc hello.
KTA?
Kick their asses.
I chuckle.
Ha! Okay.
Hug Maks for me.
I miss him.
Will do.
How's Nissa?
Happy in Florida.
Today.
I smile when he adds a shrugging emoji because what makes his ex-wife happy is always a mystery, especially to Vladdy. And I commend his persistence and patience with their relationship. One day she's happy and the next she's ready to move. Despite Bella's fluctuating pregnancy hormones, she's been steadfast in her support of us remaining in Dallas.
To know it's our end game—the kind of stability I always wanted but never had—is a different comfort level for me. A different type of confidence I feel when I step on the ice. I don't know how to describe it—having her in my life just makes everything better.
Maybe I could have been a franchise goaltender at one point early in my career, but with my dad and Jake angling for my next move, I never got that chance. I was never able to settle into one spot for more than a few years. Dad always claimed I wasn't talented enough for a starter's contract and that I should be grateful to be playing in the league with any contract.
At this point, I don't want to think about what might have been. I want to focus on doing my part in tandem with Ben—playing as if every game could be my last, holding nothing back each night. While anything's possible, I could get tapped for one of our remaining five games, but the reality is that Chicago could be it for me.
My last start.
And I think I'm the only one who realizes it.
