Forever Chicago

A wave of uncertainty came over my body.I had just given birth a little 3 months ago, how could I already be pregnant again?

I peeked into Ryan’s crib. She lay there smiling kicking her little feet.

I can do this with two, I thought, no problem.

Around 3, Riley, Paige and I decided to meet up at our regular coffee shop. I dressed layer after layer onto Ryan as we headed out into the freezing Chicago winter.

“Hey!” Riley said as I walked into a majorly empty coffee shop with only Riley, and Savannah and a few random customers.

“Hi!” I said sitting next to her.

We sat there sipping coffee, my pregnancy lingered in my mind, I figured it would be best to wait until Paige arrived.

Riley was talking about Savannah starting school. I drifted in and out of the conversation.

“Hey,” she said, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I said snapping out of it, “Just tired.”

Paige rushed in seconds later.

“It’s really snowing out there.” She said taking her jacket and scarf off and sitting down next to us.

“So when’s your due date?” I asked.

“August first.” She said.

“Mines the second.” Riley said, “Can’t believe we have two more babies coming.”

“Actually three.” I smiled.

A look of shock came across both their faces.

“Wait,” Riley said, “Your pregnant, and I’m pregnant and Paige is pregnant.”

“We’re all having a baby.” Paige laughed.

“Have you told Jonathan?” Riley asked.

“Not yet.” I said, “I don’t want to tell him over the phone.”

We talked for a while before Ryan and Savannah got too tired. I headed out the door and
back home in a freezing snowstorm.

…
It was early Monday morning when I got a call from Rowan.

“Kodie?” her voice was meek.

“Ro? Is everything okay?” I said concerned.

“Um yeah, I just ya know, I don’t know I need to get away from here.” She said.

“Why don’t you come to Chicago for a few days?” I said.

“Um yeah, that’d be great I’ve got to tell you something anyway.” She said, “I’ll get a flight for
tonight?”

“Sounds great!” I said.

I was worried about Rowan but part of me was excited to have someone around again.

The snow piled down outside.
…
Hours passed, I slugged around the house bored to death. Ryan was an easy baby, I fed her burped her, she’d fall right asleep.I was grateful for this but it left me spending hour after hour mindlessly wandering around looking for something to do.

Around 6, there was a knock at the door.

“Hey Ro!” I said hugging her with one arm, cradling Ryan with the other.

“Hey,” she said sadly hugging me.

“Are you okay?” I said as I pulled back.

“No.” She said tears streaming down her face.

“Come in.” I said rushing her and her bags inside.

We sat down on the couch Rowan looking sadder than I had seen her since we were eight years old and her Dad left for the army.

“What happened?” I said.

This was a bit of a shock. Three weeks ago, Rowan bounced onto a plane to Pittsburgh, happier than I had seen her in years, clinging to the army of a man that seemed to be made for her.

“I don’t think it’s going to work.” She said brushing away tears, “Me and Sidney.”

“Aw Ro,” I said, “Why not?”

“We just, we just can’t handle each other’s schedules. “ she sobbed.

I rubbed her shoulder.

“Well,” she said, “Everything was great when we went back to Pittsburgh. But then I went home to Boston and he hasn’t called me in weeks.”

“Aw Ro.” I said hugging her, “I’m sure he’s just busy.”

“Exactly,” she sniffled, “He’s too busy for me.”

“You just have to get used to it.” I said softly, “It was the same way when I first started dating Jonathan and I’m still not used to it.”

“I don’ think we can do it.” She cried.

“He’ll call.” I said, “But maybe, right now, we should just, you know, have girl time.”

“I guess.” She sighed lying back.

“I just don’t get men.” She said.

“Believe me no one does.” I laughed.

The snow continued piling down as we laughed together on the couch talking about everything from college to the wedding.

Paige’s POV:

I clung to the edge of the porcelain toilet bowl. It seemed ever since I had seen that little pink plus appear I had been throwing up. My morning sickness overtook my day and turned into morning, noon, and night sickness.

Not having Patrick here made it harder to deal with my pregnancy symptoms.

I had to hope this baby would be worth it.
…

Kodie’s POV:
Ryan was growing fast. She was a four month old now. Jonathan’s road trip was quickly coming to an end and I was running out time to figure out a way to tell him about the new baby.

Jonathan would be home late Monday night. That morning I headed to the doctor’s office, baby carrier in hand.

I picked up Paige along the way.

“Are you excited?” she smiled as we headed towards the hospital.

“Yeah,” I sighed, “I just wish Jon was here.”

“He will be soon.” She smiled.
…
“There’s my favorite nurse!” Jeannie yelled as I walked through the familiar door of the hospital.

It seemed like it had been years since I had walked through those hospital doors, and now it would be even longer.

“Look at that beautiful little girl.” She smiled looking into the baby carrier.

We chatted for a few minutes before the doctor called me in.

“So,” she said, running the familiar, blue gel over my stomach, “It looks like your about 2 months along. And,” she said, “Would you like to know the sex?”

“No,” I said quickly, “not until Jon’s here.”

My last pregnancy crowded the playoff season. Jonathan had been all over the place. I wanted Jonathan to experience this with me, even though the playoffs were fast approaching again.

It was mid-April now, I had found out the new baby was due in December.

As I drove home with Ryan strapped into her car seat in the back, I was starting to get nervous. Jonathan’s schedule was crazy and I was beginning to struggle with one let alone two.

I set Ryan’s baby seat down as I entered our townhouse in uptown Chicago.

The April sun was setting into a soft pink and orange Chicago sky.

I set Ryan down on the shag carpet on her stomach and sat down next to her.

She bobbled her head up and down for a few minutes. And then, as if it was just second nature, Ryan propped herself up on her hands and knees and began to crawl.
I was shocked as I snatched up my phone to take a video.

She slowly moved from one end of the carpet to the other. I quickly sent the video off to Jonathan.

As I cradled her in my arms, thrilled with her, part of me sunk deep inside. Our first baby had crawled and Jonathan would only get to see it in a video.

Had his plane left only a few hours earlier, he could’ve seen it.

The sun fell into the sky as I placed Ryan in her crib.

It was almost 2 am when Jonathan finally came through the door. I was beyond excited to be back in his arms.

“Hi.” He said kissing me smiling he pulled me into his arms, “I missed you.” He laughed kissing my forehead.

“I missed you too.” I smiled.

“How’s Ryan?” he said as we sat down on the couch.

“She’s good.” I smiled, “But um, I have to tell you something.”

“What?” he smirked.

“I’m pregnant again.” I said.

“What?” he smiled, “That’s amazing.” He laughed pulling me into his arms again.

“I don’t know what the sex is.” I said.

“Good.” He laughed, “I want to find out with you.”

We spent the earliest morning hours talking about everything. It felt so good to be back with him again. It felt as if we were back in our little apartment in downtown Chicago again.
…
The next day, the Hawks were set to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center. Jonathan was exhausted and I could tell.
As I set out for my first shift back at the hospital, I felt bad leaving him with Ryan while he tried to mentally prepare for his game tonight.


“I’ll be back soon.” I said kissing him goodbye.

“Don’t worry.” He said, “We’ll be fine, right Ry?” he turned to her.
I smiled and turned to leave. It was only a short shift, they would be fine. Right?

Jonathan’s POV:
It sucked to see Kodie go back to work.I barely got to see her with my game schedule without her working and now I would see her even less. I loved my job but my stomach churned every time I recalled the fact that I had missed my first daughters first time crawling. With another baby on the way, I was starting to worry about Kodie. She would be running herself ragged if she tried to work with two kids, the Blackhawks wives foundation, and our personal charity.

I knew Kodie needed to quit her job, but I didn’t want her to. Kodie loved nursing and she worked so hard to get where she is.

Staring down at Ryan glowing little face, I felt more selfish and guilty than I ever have before.

She opened her small mouth and let out a yawn.I didn’t want to miss these moments.

Kodie’s POV:
I didn’t want to go back to work. As soon as the hospital smell hit me I felt nauseous.

“Hey you!” Riley said as I took my old seat at the front desk, “Good to be back?”

“Hey!” I said sitting down, “It’s, it’s pretty good to be back.”

“I hear you,” she said, “I felt the exact same way after Savannah was born. You just want to spend all your time with them don’t you?”

“Exactly.” I said.

It wasn’t that I wanted to quit my job; I just wanted to spend more time with Ryan. Once the new baby time Jonathan and I would have to split our time with her even more.

The five hour shift trudged on with no patients, and no calls. Riley and I passed the time talking about baby plans and names.

“So, do you think you’re having a boy or girl?” She asked.

“Maybe a boy,” I said, “I haven’t had any morning sickness like I had with Ryan yet.”

“Did you find out the sex this morning?” I asked.

“I did,” she gleamed.

“And?” I said.

“We’re having a boy!” she smiled.

“That’s great!” I said hugging her.

Our lives were about to get twice as crazy as they were now.

Notes

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