Page 86 of Blindside Love

We just need to score.

We try everything we can think of when it’s our turn on the ice, Miles and I skating out there together while Harris and Cade work to keep their shots out of our net, but fifteen minutes into the third, we’re still scoreless. At this point, we’re all getting frustrated. We’re getting cheap shots, dropped gloves, and more penalties than usual, and we’re just all fighting to get the puck into the net.

Sitting on the bench waiting for our next ice time, I look up to the suite, unable to keep my eyes away for too long. There’s something about watching my parents, sister, and Ellie talk, smile, and laugh together. It further solidifies my thought that she was made to be a part of my life, to be my other half.

She’s the one I want to spend the rest of my life with and grow a family with.

“We’re up,” Miles says, snapping me back to the bright lights and fast skates.

Hopping over the boards, we hit the ice, changing quickly, the other team wasn’t able to switch in time, so they’re all gassed. In a lucky break for them, though, Miles slips up, losing the puck, and Thompson from Nashville steals the puck.

He breaks away, making it one on one with Cade, but like the brick wall he is, he stops it without hesitation, passing the puck back out to Miles. I skate towards the goal, hoping Miles notices as it's a clear shot to me and maybe, just maybe, we could do it intimate to break away.

He must notice me out of the corner of his eye as he skates to the left, passing right, directly to me. I get the puck, turning to head towards the goal, just Sanchez and me going head-to-head.

I skate towards him, knowing his defenders are right on my heels, but I’m faster, I have more energy, and I’m not stopping unless I get this damn puck in that net. I skate right, shooting wide, but fortunately Harris gets it, shooting it again, but it bounces off the goal.

This time though, it comes directly to me. I hit it without stopping, shooting right to the corner of the goal. As it flies through the air, I feel myself holding my breath. When the buzzer goes off and the light shines, I drop to my knees, feeling the weight of tonight fall from my shoulders.

We spend the last bit of time trying to hold them off, and thankfully we do.

As I skate off the ice, I realize that this is the last time I’m getting to do this, yet as I look around the arena at the flashing lights, the crowd still cheering, I realize the only thing I’m looking for right now are my girls, and I realize I’m not missing out on anything by giving up hockey. I’m gaining time with my family, and that’s invaluable.

The team and all our friends and family are heading into the city. We rented a rooftop bar to celebrate. I shower quickly, more excited to celebrate the end of an incredible season than we are to start cleaning everything out today.

By the time I make it down to the tunnel, my girls are ready and waiting for me, and I can’t help feeling like even though I thought everything was over, it’s only just beginning.

When I walk out of the locker room, I see my parents smiling and waiting for me. After hugging them and listening to them tell me how proud they are, I can’t help but feel like I’m back in grade school, loving the way my parents support me and tell me how proud they are. I can’t believe that I was questioning everything, questioning their support when I made this decision, but now I realize just how silly I was being.

After my parents, I see Ellie and Addy standing with Rex and the rest of the gang, and the excitement in Addy’s face makes my whole year. She comes running down the hall, leaping up into my arms, and I love the way my jersey looks on her, almost as much as I love the way it looks on her mom.

But as I look at Ellie, Addy jumps down, running back to her mom, and I realize she’s not wearing the jersey I had delivered. No, this one doesn’t have my last name on it, although it still has my number. I see Ellie looking at me, nervously standing there in the middle of all of our friends and family, and that’s when I see it.

Big Sister is on her back.

I freeze, my heart stops, and I feel like my palms are sweating. Am I reading that right? Does this mean what I think it does?

It’s at this moment that I realize everyone is watching us.

I make my way towards them, still too shocked to speak, but as I get closer, I see Ellie is crying happy tears. Her tears mirror the emotions I’m feeling, making me believe that everything I’ve done in my life, every choice I’ve made, every little thing that has gone wrong, has all been leading me to this exact moment.

This is the moment my life begins.

My family, my girls, and soon, our family of four.

Without a second thought, I step closer, wrapping my arms around Ellie as I lift her in a hug. Unable to contain my excitement I spin her around, kissing her without a second thought of anyone else around us. It’s quick but filled with promise and so much damn love.

When I finally stop and set her down, Addy’s giggle warms my heart immediately as she runs over to hug my leg

Ellie turns to me, nervousness on her face as she wipes her tears away. “Is this okay?” she asks cautiously, almost like she expects me to be mad, but there isn’t anything she could do right now that would upset me. Do I have questions? Hell yeah, but not because I’m upset, because it’s unexpected.

But sometimes, even in the moments you get completely blindsided, you can’t help but love the outcome.

“Yes, it’s okay, kitten. It’s more than okay. I’m on top of the world right now, and it’s all because of you,”

With that, we turn and look at all of our family and friends and walk out hand in hand with Addy, ready to spend the rest of the night celebrating an incredible season, a long career now over, and the new life that I’ve been dreaming of.

Epilogue

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