Forever Chicago

I snapped awake in a cold sweat.

“You okay babe?”Jonathan said snapping awake beside me.

“yeah.” I said running my hand across my forehead, “Just a weird dream.”

We slowly moved through the morning, I didn’t want Jonathan to leave, and he didn’t want to.

“It’s only three weeks babe.” He said as we clung to each other in front of the front door,

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” I said kissing him, “Good luck.”

I shut the door behind him. I was left in Chicago, for three weeks, with no family but the baby in my eight month pregnant belly.

I inched nearer and nearer to my due date with every passing day. The months had flown by.

The next three weeks would be painful without Jonathan.

I moped around for a few hours before finally working up the will to take Ollie for a walk.

The night, December air was freezing as I walked down the street.

My mind was cloudy. My strange dream clouded my mind, along with baby names, and plans.

I sunk into bed in confused state of mind.
…
The next morning I woke up feeling, somewhat better, I picked up my phone to see a text from Jonathan.

Good Morning beautiful it read.

I smiled at it, and responded quickly before jumping into the shower.
…
Riley’s POV:
I woke up exhausted from Savannah screaming all night. Finally around three am I managed to rock her to sleep.

This morning I was feeling especially nauseous, the thought that I might be pregnant crept into my mind. I didn’t have time to think on it before Savannah sprung up in her bed. She was one year old and finally had the muscle to pull herself up.

“Mumma” she smiled.

“Hi Sav!” I said plucking her from her crib with the little energy I had.

I carried her from her bedroom to the kitchen. After placing her in her high chair I was overtaken with nausea and rushed to the trash can.

I had only felt this way when I was pregnant with Savannah.

After feeding Savannah I rushed to the bathroom pulling a pregnancy test from the diaper bag. Three long minutes passed before a small pink plus appeared on the screen.
I was pregnant again.

Paige’s POV:
I woke up to an empty apartment. Patrick was gone for three weeks. It was times like these that I wished Patrick would take our relationship to the next level. I wished I had little Kane’s running around and a band on my hand. But I didn’t want to pressure him.

I waltzed to the kitchen to find an interesting picture on my phone. It looked like Riley holding up a positive pregnancy test.

I wanted to be happy for her but it was hard. Kodie and Riley had everything I wanted.

I plopped down on the couch, my mind raced. In a way I wanted Patrick to grow up so we could move on. But I also loved the young, fun loving Patrick I had fallen in love with to begin with.

I ran my hands over my stomach. It felt swollen and was a little painful. Out of boredom I picked a pregnancy test out of my purse.

My stomach tossed and churned at the idea of me being pregnant. I flashed back to the time Patrick and I had had our pregnancy scare.

The timer sounder, I picked up the test to see a little pink plus sign flash across the screen.
...
Kodie’s POV:

“I’m pregnant!” A voice shouted through one end of the phone.I clutched my phone in one hand while reaching up to hang a decoration on the Christmas tree.

“Oh my god!” I said, Riley’s voice was happy and excited.

We chatted for a bit.

“I’m going to make a doctor’s appointment, I’ll call you later?” she said.

“You better!” I said before hanging up.

Nearly seconds later my phone rang again.

Paige’s name flashed across the screen.

“Kodie,” she said, her voice was shaky, “I’m pregnant.”

My throat clogged, flashing back to Paige’s first pregnancy scare and the disaster that had ensued after.

“Are you excited?” I asked.

“I, I, I don’t know” She stuttered, “I want to be.”

“Well, this, this could be good,” I said, “You and Patrick seem to be doing great lately.

“I guess.” She said.

A long, quiet moment passed.

“You should call him Paige.” I said breaking the silence.

“Yeah.” She said, “Talk to you later.”

“Good luck.” I said before hanging up the phone.

I sat on the couch and began flipping through baby names once again. Throwing my head back against the couch I let out a sigh. Three new Blackhawks babies on the way.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

“Surprise!”A small, rusty haired girl stood at my door.

“Rowan!” I yelled hugging her, “What are you doing here?”

“Well, Jonathan didn’t want you to be alone so close to your due date, soo…”

“I love that man.” I said letting her in.


…
Christmas was sprinting towards us. Rowan and I spent day after day collecting presents for Jonathan’s family who would fly in in a few days, along with most of those who had been in our bridal party.

“So,” I said as Rowan and I sat watching Christmas movies, “How are you and Sidney?”

“Well,” she said, “We kind of, um, had a fall out.”

“Aw, I’m sorry Ro.” I said, “What happened?”

“We just, couldn’t handle each other’s schedules I guess.” She sighed.

“That’s tough.” I said.

“He’s not coming is he?” Rowan said.

I didn’t know how to break the news to her.

“Uh, um” I stuttered.

“That’s a yes.” She sighed.

“But you guys don’t even have to talk,” I said, “We’ll just hang out together okay?”

She nodded.

…
The next morning Jonathan’s family was flying in all the time. First his parents.

“Kodie!” Mrs. Toews said bursting through the door, “When is my grandbaby coming out?”

“Any day now,” I laughed.

Next was Jon’s brother and his girlfriend Summer.

“Hi!” I said hugging them all hello.

All day long people arrived. TJ Oshie his fiancée Lauren, and their baby Lyla. My best friends
Skyler and Kylie arrived shortly later, Riley was over with baby Savannah as we all settled awaiting the Blackhawks final game before they would return home.

The game was furious and hard fought against the Montreal Canadians.PK Subban struck first halfway through the second period.

Jonathan pulled through with a hat trick in the third winning the game for the Hawks.

Around 11:30 there was a knock at the door.

“Sid.” I said hugging him as he came through the door.

Rowan’s POV:
I didn’t want to look at Sid when he came through the door. I knew the smallest glimpse could make me fall in love with him all over again. I thought back to that cold September day in Pittsburgh. I had flown all the way there to see Sid. The Penguins had just lost a furious game to the Boston Bruins.

Flashback:
I sat in Sid’s Pittsburgh apartment anxiously awaiting his return from the Consol energy center.
“Hey,” I said getting up to greet him as he came through the door, “It’s okay.” I said hugging him.
“No,” he snapped pulling away, “It’s not okay.”
“Sidney,” I yelled after him as he walked into his bedroom and slammed the door.
I waited a few minutes before going in after him. I found him sitting on his bed slumped over, resting his elbows on his knees, head in hands.
“Sidney,” I said sitting next to him, about to say the worst thing you could ever say to a hockey player. “It was only a game.”
He looked at me like I had offended his religion.
“How can you say that?” He said angrily, “It’s not just a game, it’s my entire career, I let a whole city of people down.”
“Sidney there’s always the next game.” I said.
“You don’t understand this do you?” he said.
“I guess not,” I said standing up.
“Rowan, Pittsburgh is a hockey town people expected us to win!” he said standing next to me.
“Sidney you can’t win every game!” I yelled back.
“If you don’t understand this lifestyle, then, then” he stuttered, “then this isn’t going to work.”
My face dropped, “If that’s what you want then I should go.”
“It’s not what I want Rowan.” He said, “I, I just don’t think I can handle this right now.”

Sidney and I hadn’t talked since that night.

“Hi, Rowan.” He said hitting me with his deep brown eyes.

“Sidney.” I said.

Kodie’s POV:
Feeling the tension rising everyone decided to head straight to bed. Jonathan would be home late, and tomorrow was Christmas eve.

I slid into bed that night wanting no one but Jonathan.

I awoke the next morning like a child on Christmas morning. Jonathan would be home any moment.

I showered quickly before pulling on a pair of jeans, and a long sleeve white t shirt.

No one else had awoken when Jonathan walked through the door.

He immediately pulled me into a long, tight hug.

“I missed you.” He said kissing me.

“I missed you too.” I said, kissing back, “So much.”

The day was crazy, people running around everywhere. Lighting the tree in Chicago center, the family Christmas eve skate at the United Center, last minute shopping. We were all exhausted when finally arrived home late at night.

As Jonathan and I slid into bed I felt a sharp pain stabbing at my abdominals. I looked down to see a puddle of water.

“Jon.” I said pushing his shoulder, “It’s time.”

Notes

So sorry it took so long!