Page 55 of Hat Trick (Titans Hockey #1)
Epilogue
" R hodes?" The redheaded nurse calls, looking up from her clipboard.
Carter wraps his arm around my elbow to help me to rise.
I'm eight weeks pregnant, but you'd think I was eight months with the way he handles me.
I'm sure at some point I'll reach my limit of how careful my men are around me, but for now I'll let him fret.
We follow her back into a room and wait for the doctor. I sit on the exam table while Carter dwarfs a hard plastic chair in the corner, his knee bouncing furiously.
"Baby, everything's going to be fine. Relax." I smile at him, holding out my hand to him. He takes it, flips it and kisses my wrist.
Luckily, we don't have to wait for long before a tall, gorgeous black woman in a white coat comes in and introduces herself.
"I'm Dr. Marley, and I'll be your primary ob-gyn during your pregnancy." She says, shaking our hands and waking up her computer. "How are you feeling? Any complaints?"
"I'm more tired than usual, but no morning sickness yet."
"That's great to hear." Her smile lights up her entire face and you can tell instantly that she loves her job.
"You ready to see your baby, Dad?" She asks Carter while warming up the ultrasound machine.
"Let me call them really quick." He replies.
Dr. Marley's face scrunches a little. "Little nugget's got three dads.
The other two are out of town at a game.
" I explain. After we discovered I was pregnant, Carter retired.
I don't think he ever really got over missing out on Annie's early life.
He was born to be a dad, and he refused to miss out on any part of my pregnancy and birth.
Luca and Gabe agreed to one or two more years before they hang up their skates, but we agreed to schedule everything we can around their games so they can be as active as possible.
I think knowing Carter is here when they can't has eased their minds.
She raises an eyebrow at me. "Girl, I can't keep tabs on one husband, let alone three." She whispers to me. I can't help but laugh.
"They make it easy on me." I laugh back. FaceTime connects and Carter flips the screen so I can say 'hi' to my other two men.
"Luca, Gabe, this is Dr. Marley. She'll be my primary care doc." The boys give her a little wave. I lift my shirt and Dr. Marley squeezes on some cold goop. She presses the wand to my belly and a tense silence fills the room. Carter squeezes my hand nervously while the Dr. finds our little nugget.
"There we are." She says confidently. "There's your little nugget."
"Oh my God! That's a baby! You have a baby in there!" Carter shouts and I can't help but laugh. It reminds me of the day he walked into the daycare in a panic.
"Yes, sweetheart, that's kind of how pregnancy works." I swear he has tears in his eyes and he ping-pongs his gaze between me and the screen. Dr. Marley takes some pictures and some measurements while I chat with the other two and Carter watches on in stunned silence.
"You happy, Princess?" Gabe asks, with the sweetest, softest smile on his face.
"So very happy, " I reply. "You?"
"Never thought I could be this happy. "
Luca's brilliant face comes into the screen. "You've never been more beautiful, Mrs. Tavares." The boys all call me wife, or Mrs. their-last-name, even though legally we can't marry. It doesn't matter to us. We're as much each other's husbands and wives as any piece of paper could say.
"Mr. Tavares." I smile back.
Just then there's a light knock on the door before it opens.
"Are we too late?" Cedar's fiery red hair peaks through the open door.
"Not at all! Come on in!" I say, my voice wobblily with tears. She comes in with a bright smile and Annie on her hip.
"And you are?" Dr. Marley asks.
"His baby-mama." Cedar replies happily, nodding towards Carter. "And his baby." She adds, nodding towards Annie.
Dr. Marley simply laughs and shakes her head. Yeah, we're one big messed up family, but a family none-the-less.
"You guys ready for the good part?" Dr. Marley asks. When we don't reply, she flips a switch and the whoosh-whoosh of a heartbeat plays into the room. I can't help myself but burst into tears.
"Oh my God." Carter whispers.
"Can I record this?" I ask through tears.
"Of course, take your time." I break out my phone and record the sound while I can hear commotion on Carter's phone. He turns it so I can see the screen again and see Ben's handsome face.
"Ems! You're having a baby!"
I can't help but laugh and wipe a tear from my cheek.
The entire team is in their game-day suits on the bus to the stadium.
The entire team pass the phone around, listening to our baby's heartbeat.
My heart swells and threatens to escape through my throat.
This team is so much a family. They win together, they lose together, they celebrate life accomplishments together.
They'll love this baby as much as if it was their own.
Then I think about my men. This child is going to be loved by three daddies, a sister, and their sister's mom.
Over the months Cedar has become as much of a sister to me as I could have ever hoped for.
Oftentimes Carter gets jealous that I won't need him anymore because Cedar's replaced him as my best friend.
I don't mind. It means I get to show him exactly how he's more than my best friend.
Cedar steps closer and rests Annie's hand on my slight baby bump. "You're going to be a big sister, Annie! There's a baby in there."
"Bay-bee." Annie parrots back. Carter rests his large hand over Cedar and Annie's, joining our little mis-matched family in this moment.
I can't help myself but break down crying more.
I grew up with the partial love of a father, and the love of a brother.
Everyone else in my life couldn't find it in them to love me.
But Annie? And this baby? They have an army of people who already love them.
They have a family of almost fifty professional hockey players and their families.
And that's all I could ever dream of.