Chapter 30 #2
Bryn turned to me, and her eyes locked on mine. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I clasped my hands around hers, kissing her knuckles. “So am I, angel.”
Bryn’s muscles tensed, and I sensed another contraction. Bryn looked to Astrid. Something unspoken passed between them, and a sense of peace washed over me. It only reaffirmed what I already knew: Bryn was in good hands.
“You’re almost there. Take a deep breath, then give me one more big push like the last one,” Astrid said. And then she nodded.
Bryn squeezed her eyes shut, giving it her all. I could see the exertion, the pain, the everything that she was pouring into this moment.
“That’s it, Bryn.” I held her hand, wishing there were more I could do. “You’ve got this. You’re almost there.”
And then I heard it, Morgan’s cry. I couldn’t hold back my smile as relief washed over me. Bryn dropped her head against the pillow, exhausted.
She looked at me, and I looked at her, so many emotions flowing between us in that moment. Relief. Joy. Understanding. Gratitude. And so much love.
I pressed a kiss to her temple. “You did it, angel.” I could barely get the words out, I was so choked up. “You did it.”
“We did it.”
I kissed her then, sweat and tears mingling with joy and love. When I pulled back to cup her cheek, she’d never looked more beautiful to me. My wife. The mother of my child.
“Congratulations, Mom,” Astrid said, wrapping up the baby and handing her to Bryn. “And Dad.” Astrid smiled at me.
Dad.
Holy shit. I’m a dad.
I stared down at Morgan and her impossibly small features.
I was dying to hold her, to touch her to confirm that she was real.
She was ours, and she was beautiful. But I was drenched in sweat and covered in hockey gear, so I settled for offering her one of my fingers.
She grabbed it, and I tried to soak it all in.
Her tiny little fingernails. The dark lashes framing her eyes.
Her sweet little mouth that stretched into the most adorable little yawn.
Someone banged on the door. “Holmes. Time’s up!” Coach called.
I couldn’t leave Bryn, not when she’d just had our baby. But my team—my brothers—needed me. I’d never felt as torn as I did in that moment.
I went to the door, wrenching it open. “Ten minutes. Please.” I pressed my palms together. “I’m begging for a game delay, and then I promise I’ll be back on the ice, completely focused.”
He nodded brusquely. “I’ll see what I can do, but I’ll be lucky if I get a five-minute delay.”
“Okay.” I let out a breath. “I’ll take anything.”
I went back to Bryn’s side, brushing her hair away from her face. She smiled up at me, our daughter in her arms. “It’s okay, Frasier,” Bryn said, clearly sensing my hesitation. “I’m okay. Morgan’s okay. You were here for us. Now you need to be there for your team.”
“She’s in good hands,” Allie said, perhaps sensing my need for reassurance. “I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
“Thank you,” I said to Allie, then again to Logan, Georgia, and especially Astrid. How could I ever possibly convey my gratitude for everything they’d done for Bryn?
I bent down to Bryn, who was still holding Morgan. Even though I knew they were in good hands, it felt impossible to wrench myself away from them.
“I love you.” I kissed Bryn, hard, the bridge of my nose stinging. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I love you,” Bryn said, smiling through her tears. “Now, go. Bring home the Cup.”
A tear slipped out, and I quickly wiped it away. I could’ve stayed there, with them, all day. But I knew that even if Coach had secured the game delay, I was out of time.
With one last kiss for Bryn and a quick glance at our baby girl, I headed back into the hallway, back to the locker room.
My body might be with the team, but my heart was firmly back in that room, with Bryn and Morgan.
When I entered the locker room, all conversation immediately quieted.
Everyone was looking at me, full of apprehension.
“She’s here!” I shouted, and they all raised their towels in the air, spinning them in circles.
Carson nudged me. “Looks like Morgan arrived just in time for her daddy to win a Cup.”
I chuckled as my teammates started chanting, “Daddy Fizzy. Daddy Fizzy.”
My smile was huge, and I couldn’t help but laugh. And as I looked around the room at each of my teammates—at my family—I was filled with so much gratitude. Gabe came and hugged me, then Kovi, each of them tapping the number six over my heart, silently telling me that Derek would be proud.
As we headed back onto the ice, we were buzzing. Despite all my gear, I’d never felt more weightless. I double tapped the six on my chest, looking up to the rafters where a banner displayed Derek’s name and number in his honor. I hoped that Derek knew he was with me, always.
When I scraped up the ice in front of the net, it was with a focused determination. I had even more motivation to bring home the Cup. For Derek and my teammates. For Bryn and for Morgan. But regardless of what happened in the game, I knew I’d already won.