Chapter 19 Brody
NINETEEN
brODY
The noise that pulls me from my dream is loud and incessant.
The bane of my fucking existence.
I open an eye. Moonlight sneaks through the curtains, and I know it’s too early to drag my ass out of bed.
But the noise won’t stop.
Phone.
It’s my phone.
Groaning, I sit up. I reach for the bedside table, knocking a stack of personal development books I’ve yet to open to the floor. I answer without looking at the caller ID, grunting when I’m finally figure out how to slide my thumb across the screen in my state of deliriousness.
“Hello?” I rub my eyes, the room coming into focus. “Who is this?”
“Coach.”
Maverick’s voice. Brittle, scared, and I’m thrown back to the night of Riley’s accident. I sit up straight, instantly awake. I fumble for the lamp so I can see, bracing myself and begging the universe not to be a cruel motherfucker to me twice in two years.
“Maverick. Are you okay?” I ask, twisting the sheets tight in my grip.
“Am I okay? Am I okay?” A sharp laugh. The slam of a door and heavy footsteps on his end of the line. “No, I’m not okay! I don’t know what the fuck to do! I thought I had two more weeks. Two more weeks. Fourteen days! But nope. Not anymore. Why does no one teach you how to—”
“Maverick,” I almost shout, cutting in. “You need to tell me what the hell is going on so I can figure out how to help.”
“Emmy is in labor,” he whispers. “And I’m going to have a heart attack.”
“Fucking Christttttt.” I deflate, dropping my head against the wall.
My heart is racing, and I shove aside the fear that’s lodged in my throat.
“Your wife is about to push a human out of her and you’re wondering what you’re supposed to do?
Get off the phone with me and get your ass in there with her. ”
“Yes. Yeah. That. I should do that, but I’m so fucking scared, Coach.
” There’s a long pause. A crack in his voice.
“How can I be a father when I didn’t have one growing up?
I’m fucking clueless on how I should act and what I should say.
How do I punish my baby girl if she does something wrong?
What if she hates me? What if she wants to grow up and play fucking baseball?
And what about Emmy? I’m doing everything I can to be the best husband, and now I’m a father too?
She’s going to resent me. I’m not good enough and—”
“Take a breath, Mav,” I tell him, and he blows out a long exhale. I don’t want to laugh and have him think I’m making fun of him, but this is déjà vu. The exact thought process I went through before Olivia arrived. “Good. What hospital are you in?”
“MedStar. The same one where Riley lost his leg.” A softer exhale. Gratitude in his next words. “I’m so glad whoever is up there looking down at this shitshow we call life decided to be fucking kind to us.”
“How dilated is Emmy?”
“I don’t know. Her water broke at the house. I drove her here. Then I came out to the hall because I’m panicking, man.”
“Listen to me, Mav. That terrified feeling? I hate to break it to you, but it’s never going to go away.
You’re going to spend the rest of your life wondering if what you’re doing is good enough for your little girl, then one day, you’ll blink and she’s going to be a teenager.
Getting ready to learn how to drive and going to school dances.
I spend every second of every day scared shitless.
I’m afraid I’m one step away from royally fucking up the single greatest accomplishment of my life.
You have to figure it out as you go. There’s no handbook.
No set of rules to follow.” I kick off the sheets and stand.
“But guess what? You now have the greatest job in the world. You’re going to be a girl dad, and there’s no championship, no amount of money, nothing that will ever beat that. ”
“Oh my god.” Maverick lets out a choked sob. “I’m going to be a girl dad. I’m such a lucky bastard.”
“Yeah, buddy. You are. Hang up with me. Go be with Emmy. She’s tough as hell, but she needs you. I’ll let the guys know what’s going on.”
“You will?”
“You all are so codependent.” I chuckle. “They’d hate me if I left them in the dark.”
“We’re pathetic, aren’t we? I want them here. I want you here too.”
“Then that’s where we’ll be. Mav?”
“Yeah?”
The hope in his voice clinches my heart and squeezes tight. It makes this next part easy to say.
“You’re going to be the best dad in the world,” I tell him. Slow, so each word registers. So there’s not a doubt in his mind. “And when you’re ever questioning that—which you will, trust me—you come find me, okay? I’ll remind you.”
He sniffs. “Thanks, Coach.”
“We’ll see you soon.”
I find a shirt in my dresser and throw it on. Making a house call to the hospital in the middle of the night wasn’t on my list of responsibilities when I took on this role, but that’s something else I’ve learned along the way. When your guys need you, you show up for them.
Grabbing a pair of socks and my shoes, I switch my pajama bottoms for a pair of joggers. I pull on a sweatshirt while I type out a text to the team.
Me
Emmy is in labor.
I’m not surprised when responses start flying in.
Sullivan
Cool.
Everett
OH MY GOD. Are you seirious?! Where is she?11? Is Mavrick shtting hmself? Why am I crying????? It’s not ev3n my kid!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sully!!! I need some mre fkng enthsusm from you!
Sullivan
Learn to spell, then we’ll talk.
Everett
I’m so excited I can’t type right!!!!!!
Richardson
DADDY MAVVY!!!!!!
Hayes
Is Maverick having a panic attack?
Me
He’s having an appropriate response to the situation. They’re at MedStar Georgetown.
Mitchell
Maverick is the only person I’d go back to that hospital for.
Me
He’d understand if you didn’t want to.
Mitchell
No way. He was there for me. I’m going to be there for him.
Me
I’m sure they have a private room, but phones get turned off when we get there. No posting to social media. No photos. Same team rules apply. Got it?
Richardson
Come on, Coach. We’re always on our best behavior ;)
Me
Don’t test me, Richardson.
The mood in the hospital waiting room is different from the night we were here for Riley’s accident.
It’s light, eager. Tears, yeah, but happy ones this time.
Everyone is smiling and laughing. Emmy’s best friends—Lexi, Piper, Madeline, and Maven, who works for the DC Titans—keep asking for tissues.
Maverick’s buddies from outside the team, Reid and Dallas—a kicker for the Titans—are bouncing up and down.
Grant joins the group of women and asks for a tissue too, blowing his nose and showing off the flowers he brought.
“Aren’t they pretty?” He holds up the vase, showing off the lilies and sunflowers. “They symbolize joy, new beginnings, and love. What did everyone else bring?”
“Myself.” Ethan grins from the chair he’s sitting in. “When Emmy gets bored of Mavvy, I’ll be waiting in the wings. We’ll be the redheaded power couple.”
“Maverick will literally kill you before that happens.” Hudson adjusts his position on the couch, keeping a sleeping Lucy tucked tight to his chest. “Sully. What are you holding?”
“Nothing,” Liam grumbles, but I catch sight of a small, patterned piece of fabric. “Mind your own fucking business.”
“Is that a shirt?” Riley asks.
“It’s a onesie,” Piper says proudly, resting her cheek on Liam’s arm. “He learned how to crochet, and he’s been working on an outfit for the baby for weeks.”
“Oh my god,” Grant whispers. “That’s the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s not great.” Liam scowls. “I messed up one of the sleeves. And the colors don’t match.”
“That’s so sweet of you, Liam.” Lexi beams. “Mav and Emmy are going to love it.”
“On a scale of one to ten, how hard is childbirth?” Ethan asks. “Do you think it hurts as bad as getting hit in the balls with a puck?”
“It’s worse,” Madeline answers from her seat next to Hudson. “You wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“Come on, Mads.” He smirks. “I’ve lost teeth. I’ve taken a stick to the head. I’d be just fine.”
“If you stand up, we could test the theory,” she says sweetly, and Hudson buries his laugh in her hair. “I bet you’d cry within two minutes.”
“Sit your ass down, Richardson,” I warn, and he pouts.
“Come on, Coach. I want to—”
The doors to the lobby burst open, and Maverick comes staggering out. He’s in a blue smock with booties covering his shoes, and he puts his hand on the wall. Takes a deep breath, and bursts into tears.
“I’m a dad,” he wails, and the waiting room explodes with noise.
There are hugs and high-fives. Ethan pops a bottle of champagne I didn’t know he brought, and Maverick refuses a glass. I shake his hand and he pulls me in close, clasping my back.
“How’s Emmy?” I ask.
“She’s a fucking champ. I almost passed out in there, but she powered through. I swear to god she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I love her more right now than I did an hour ago.” He laughs and wipes his nose with his sleeve. “And everyone knows how much I loved her then.”
“And the baby?”
“Healthy as can be. Ten fingers, ten toes. Perfect red hair, just like her mom, and the cutest nose. She blinked up at me when I held her for the first time, and I cried more than Emmy.” He looks at me. “I already know eighteen years with her isn’t going to be enough.”
“A hundred years wouldn’t be enough,” I say.
“Emmy’s getting cleaned up. Baby girl is getting her measurements done. It might be a while before you guys can come back, so don’t feel like you all have to wait around,” Maverick says to our group. “I appreciate you being here.”
Liam narrows his eyes in Maverick’s direction. “I’m here in the middle of the night. I’m not leaving until I see that baby,” he says. “And Emmy. I like her more than I like you.”
Maverick laughs. “Don’t blame you. I’ll text when we’re ready.” He looks at everyone. Takes us all in. “I learned a long time ago that family isn’t something you’re born into. It’s the people you find along the way, and I’m really fucking glad I found you all.”
Three hours later, just as the sun is coming up, we get the okay to head up to Emmy’s room.
Grant is crying. Ethan is falling asleep on Liam’s shoulder, but the goalie doesn’t shove him away.
On the fourth floor, down a long hall, Maverick waves.
He gestures for us all to come inside, everyone rearranging where they’re standing until we fill the room to the brim.
“Hi, guys,” Emmy says, holding a baby wrapped in a blanket like she’s the most precious, delicate being in the world. Maverick sits next to his wife on the hospital bed, an arm around her shoulders. “Thanks for sticking around.”
“Is that our newest member?” Grant whispers. “She’s so tiny.”
“Meet Murphy Miller Hartwell.” Maverick kisses Murphy’s head. “It means sea warrior, and if she’s anything like her mom, she’s going to live up to the name and then some.”
“We wanted to stick with the gender-neutral theme,” Emmy explains. “That way, when a hockey coach signs her to his team in twenty-eight years, the arrogant captain will think he’s meeting a guy.”
“But instead, it’ll be a kick-ass woman who’s going to sweep him off his feet.” Maverick brushes his nose against Emmy’s. His attention turns to me, eyes wet with tears. “This is all because of you, Coach.”
“I don’t think I can take any credit for your spawn, Miller,” I say, walking over to them. “This was all you two.”
“Yes, you can.” Emmy smiles at me then tucks her chin to her chest. “Do you want to hold her?”
“I haven’t held a baby in years. Grant’s right. She’s too tiny. I don’t—” My argument snuffs out when Emmy puts Murphy in my arms. “God dammit.” I stare at the ceiling. “I don’t like getting emotional in front of people, Hartwell.”
“The only reason this is possible”—Emmy gestures between her and Maverick—“Is because you took a chance on me. You didn’t sign me because it would check a box or be a good headline in the media.
You didn’t treat me any different because I’m a woman.
You saw a player with a dream, and because of that, I got so much more than I could have ever imagined. ”
“I don’t have many years left in the league,” Maverick adds, looking only at me.
“Three, maybe? Two tops if it means Em can come back and have another season before she retires, because I want her to have a chance to win the Cup. I know we have a player-coach relationship, and I want to be respectful of that boundary for the time that I have left on your team.” He turns to the rest of the group.
“All of you are going to be aunts and uncles, obviously. Huddy Boy, I hope you’re okay with being godfather number one. ”
“Jesus, Mav. Of course I am,” Hudson says with a laugh. “I’d be honored.”
“Good. And I hope after I retire, you’ll consider being godfather number two, Coach,” he says, and I freeze.
“Signing Emmy to the team…” He trails off and bites his fist. A tear rolls down his cheek.
“You gave me everything I’ve ever wanted in life.
A partner. A family. A home. I’m not worthy of any of it, but I’m going to spend every second of every day doing my best to prove that I am. ”
“We’ll talk,” I rasp, hating how my voice cracks. “But only if I get first dibs on Murphy’s playing rights after she’s done a year in college.”
Maverick knows what my answer is, and I’m glad I don’t have to say it outright. If I did, I’d be a fucking mess, because how the hell did this group of kids who pissed me off to no end grow into a group of good, hardworking men starting their own families they want me to be part of?
“Fuck you, Saunders,” Liam says, breaking the heaviness in the room. “All I got them was a onesie.”
That makes everyone laugh. Murphy gets passed around, already so loved by so many people. Maverick and Emmy can’t stop looking at each other, and I have to take a deep breath.
I’ve had a lot of highs as a hockey player. I’ve won championships. Broken league records. Been the best player in the world, but I think at the end of my career, when I walk away from the sport for good, this moment right here is going to be the one I’m proudest of.