Chapter Six #2
"I can't look at the sex part," she says.
"Not off a screen. It feels so impersonal, Brody, like I'm reading a spreadsheet instead of actually finding out. Aren’t I supposed to have one of those fancy gender reveals where you open a box and a bouquet or balloons float in the air and then pink or blue fireworks explode? "
“You’d hate all of that.”
“You’re right. I would. Too much fuss. I also don’t want to find out from a screen.”
"Okay," I say. "Then you won't."
I get up before she can ask what I mean, and I walk out of her office, leaving her at her desk with the screen still glowing in front of her. Her assistant's at her desk in the hallway, and I lean down and keep my voice low.
"Hey — any chance there's some Overtime around here somewhere? Maybe in the staff lounge or something?"
She blinks at me, then rolls her chair out from her desk. A minute later, she leads me to a kitchen where there’s a glass fridge filled with different flavors of Overtime. I find exactly what I’m looking for. One pink. One blue.
Her assistant looks at me funny, and I just shrug. “We’re having a debate on the best flavor.”
I carry them back into Ellis’s office and shut the door behind me with my heel.
"Sit," I tell Ellis, nodding at the little couch under her window.
"Brody, what are you—"
"Sit down."
She sits, eyeing the bottles in my hand. I drop down next to her.
"I'm going to look at the screen," I say. "You're going to close your eyes. Whatever's in your lap when you open them again — that's our answer."
"That's ridiculous."
"It’s happening. Close your eyes, Ellis."
She does. I set down one of the bottles, take her phone, look at the screen, and my own breath catches somewhere in my chest before I even find the line. I read it once, twice, to be sure. Then I set one of the bottles gently in her lap.
"Open."
She pauses for a beat. Her chest rises with a deep inhale as if she’s soaking in the magnitude of the moment. In just a second, she’ll find out if she’s having a son or a daughter. Even for me, a third-party bystander in her miracle of life, it feels important.
She takes another slow, steady breath.
Her eyes open to the blue drink, and for a second she just looks at it, like she's afraid to touch it. Then her hands go to it, turning it over — like she’s looking for some kind of assurance that it isn’t a trick.
"Vaughn," she whispers, and then she's crying, both hands holding onto the bottle.
I pull her into my side, my mouth against the top of her head. "A little baller," I say, and I can hear my own voice breaking around the words. "We've got ourselves a little dude."
Her fingers lose their grip, and the drink slips out of her hand, landing on her lap. The control she was trying to maintain collapses into a thousand pieces, and heavy tears fall down her cheeks, but she’s smiling.
“Hey,” I say softly.
I don’t hesitate. I reach under her arms, sliding my hands around her waist, and effortlessly lift her from the chair and straight onto my lap.
She doesn’t pull away. She just throws her arms around me, burying her face in the crook of my neck, her fingers clutching my shirt. I wrap my arms around her, my left hand resting on the back of her head, holding her body flush against my chest while she lets out sobs of pure happiness and relief.
Having her like this, holding her against me, feels completely right. Her soft sobs turn into long exhales against my collarbone. My shirt now wet from her tears.
I rest my chin on the top of her head, inhaling the scent of vanilla and clean skin, letting her take all the time she needs to catch her breath.
“It’s a boy. I mean, is it weird to say I kind of had a feeling?” she says, looking up at me.
“I don’t know much about this stuff, but I believe it. I think a mother’s intuition is like superhuman,” I say into her hair, wrapping my arms tighter around her and rocking her back and forth. “I also know he’s gonna be a tough one. Just like his mama.”
She lets out a wet laugh, her cheeks flushed pink, and she looks raw and stunning like this.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, dabbing at her cheeks with her sleeve as a smile breaks through. “I got your shirt all wet. I don’t usually break down like this in the middle of the day. I feel completely unprepared for this flood of emotions.”
“Hey, don’t apologize,” I chuckle, my thumb gently brushing a stray tear from her cheek, my hand then cupping her face a little longer than necessary. “This is a big deal. You’re allowed to let yourself feel the big things however you need to.”
She leans back, resting her head against my shoulder.
“You know, I always thought I’d have a family,” she says, her voice relaxed.
“Growing up, I assumed that someday I’d build my own life with marriage, buying a house with a big yard, having a couple of kids…
I just never imagined it happening like this.
Unmarried, carrying a baby boy in my belly while trying to negotiate contracts.
It feels so… out of order or something.”
I smile and let my hand run down her back until I’m holding her secure against me again.
“You’re going to be an amazing mom, Ellis,” I tell her smoothly. “And you’re not alone.”
She lifts her head, her eyes searching my face. “No, I know. And Brody, you’ve been so good to me.” She pauses, curiosity sparking in her gaze. “What about you? Do you want kids?”
“Oh yeah, definitely,” I admit without hesitation, grinning. “A whole team of kids.”
Ellis raises a brow, amusement lighting her face. “A team, huh? That’ll be a busy house.”
“That’s my hope.” I nod, chuckling at her reaction.
“I grew up with just my mom and sister. And I always thought it would have been fun to have more siblings. Or even a bunch of cousins. So I think I’ve just had it in my mind that once I was in the league, I’d set up a place for my family when I was ready for it. ”
I pause for a second, then continue running my hand up and down her back.
“Why do you think I bought a big ol’ house in Jersey?” I ask playfully. “It has five bedrooms, a huge backyard, a pool, and a game room. It’s not the bachelor pad that’s talked about online.”
Ellis tilts her head, watching me with a smile. “So you bought it for…?”
“I bought it for my future,” I say simply. “I want the yard big enough for kids and dogs. I want the stone fireplace big enough to hang stockings on at Christmas. I like being prepared, I guess.”
My eyes dip down to her stomach for a brief second, taking in the subtle swell beneath her shirt before returning to her face with my most charming smile.
“I’m not trying to throw a sales pitch at you, Princess,” I say, sliding my hand from her back to her jawline.
“I’m just saying…I’m ready when it happens.
And this little guy of yours, he’s going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.
You’ll be ready for him when he comes. And I’ll be there to support you like I have been. As long as you want me there.”
She swallows hard, her hand coming up to rest against my chest, right over my heart. A breathtaking smile lights up her face.
“You really are something special, Brody,” she says softly.
“So I’ve been told,” I say, smiling and teasing her to lighten the emotional weight in the room. I glance over her shoulder and look at the clock on the wall. “Shit, Scott will be here soon for the signing that already happened. But hey, speaking of my house.”
“Crap. I need to get myself together.” She stands up and starts packing up her food. “What about your house?”
I also stand and help her clean up. “Promise me you’ll eat some more of this after Scott leaves, before your next meeting.”
“I promise.” She smiles. “House?” She waves her hand at me to hurry me along.
“Oh, right. I was thinking since we have a week off before the playoffs,” I say, looking at her. “I thought it’d be a shame to wait until the spring for the dogs to have a playdate. So why don’t you and Oshie come out to Jersey on Saturday.”
She hesitates and stops packing the food. “You want me to come to your place? With my dog?”
“I mean, yeah. Just you, me, and the mutts.” I smirk. “My yard has six acres of high-fenced grass and privacy. Buck needs a friend, and you need a break from the city. No phone calls, no traffic. Just some good food and a fire.”
She looks at me for a minute. I can see she’s battling something in her mind. Then finally, she lets out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she leans her forehead against my chest.
“Okay, fine,” she says playfully. “Oshie and I will come out on Saturday. But if your dog steals my girl's toys, I’m billing you for the replacement.”
“Buck is a total gentleman,” I laugh, instinctively leaning down to kiss her head. “He’ll treat her like the duchess she is. Is that right? What would she be in the royal line of succession?”
“You’re too much,” she laughs, shaking her head.
I’m relieved to see her laughing. I know she wouldn’t want Scott to see her crying.
I grab my jacket from the chair and point to the signed contract on her desk as she scoots her chair back. She has her phone in one hand and looks happier and even more radiant than she was before she got the results.
“Do you need me to stay for the meeting with Scott?”
“Not unless you want to. Or if you have any other questions. I can just review it with him again, and we can call it a day.” She sits back down in her chair.
“I’ll head out then. I know you have a busy rest of your day, and I know if I don’t leave, I’ll be tempted to stay until I see you finish that food,” I say, backing toward the door.
“The food will be in my belly by the end of the day, Vaughn,” she says, smiling, her eyes tracking me to the door. “I’ll see you on Saturday.”
I lift a hand, and just before the door shuts, I shoot her a wink.