Something About Blending
Prologue
Five Years Ago
Emerson took a shaky breath and looked at the plastic stick she had peed on. She tried to laugh but it came out as more of a strangled cry. “Em, are you okay in there?” Piper called softly through the door. Wiping away the tear that she hadn’t noticed at first Emerson unlocked the bathroom door and walked by into her dorm. “Piper, I’m pregnant,” she whispered worried that the people who they shared a bathroom with might hear her. Piper froze for a moment before gathering her sobbing friend into a hug. “It will be okay Em. You’ll be the best Mum in the world and I’ll be a kick ass Aunt Piper,” she said trying to sooth Emerson. “But… but...” Emerson tried to protest but she was crying to hard to get the words out. “I know, they’re not going to be helpful or supportive. But I’ll be here and we can make it work. We’ll stick to the plan only with a few changes,” Piper said hugging her friend closer. They stayed sitting like that until Emerson cried herself out. “So we’re still going to New York?” she asked wiping the dried tears off her face. “Of course we are dear,” Piper smiled and helped her up. “Now, let’s get this over with and do what we have to,” Piper said handing Emerson her phone.
Three Years Ago
“What do you mean she doesn’t want her?” Mats whispered yelled to his teammates and their wives. Henrik and Therese Lundqvist shushed him in case the little girl in the other room could hear them. “Don’t worry she’s asleep,” Derick said walking back into his living room from his daughter’s room. “Lucky thing we had already decided to co-parent even if we weren’t together so I have a room all set up for her,” he continued walking into the room and sitting down putting his face in his hands. Mats, the Lundqvists and the Hagelins exchanged looks. “You know we’re all here for you right?” Therese asked putting a hand on his shoulder. “World’s best God Father over here!” Mats called pumping his fists in the air. Erica rolled her eyes at him and sat down on the couch next to Derick. “Have you figured out if she wants anything to do with Amelia?” she asked refusing to use Amelia’s mother’s name. Derick shook his head, “She said she doesn’t which is fine by me. I love and I’ll make it work.” Henrik sighed and shook his head; he couldn’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want to be with their daughter. “Have you called your mom?” Mats asked cautiously. Again, Derick shook his head. “You were the first people I called. I figured you’d be able to help me right off the bat. She’ll need someone to watch her during road trips and I can ask my mom to help for the longer trips but for the shorter ones I was hoping you would be able to help or know someone who would. After this I figure I’ll call my family and let them know,” he explained. The group shook their head in understanding. “Of course we’ll all do anything we can to help,” Therese said. No sooner had she finished reassuring him did a cry come from the baby monitor. Derick walked into his daughter’s room and his friends could hear him on the monitor. “What is it Amelia? Daddy’s here. Daddy will always be here,” he comforted the crying six-month old. Therese blinked back tears thinking of her own young daughter knowing that she would do anything to help Derick and his young daughter.
Emerson took a shaky breath and looked at the plastic stick she had peed on. She tried to laugh but it came out as more of a strangled cry. “Em, are you okay in there?” Piper called softly through the door. Wiping away the tear that she hadn’t noticed at first Emerson unlocked the bathroom door and walked by into her dorm. “Piper, I’m pregnant,” she whispered worried that the people who they shared a bathroom with might hear her. Piper froze for a moment before gathering her sobbing friend into a hug. “It will be okay Em. You’ll be the best Mum in the world and I’ll be a kick ass Aunt Piper,” she said trying to sooth Emerson. “But… but...” Emerson tried to protest but she was crying to hard to get the words out. “I know, they’re not going to be helpful or supportive. But I’ll be here and we can make it work. We’ll stick to the plan only with a few changes,” Piper said hugging her friend closer. They stayed sitting like that until Emerson cried herself out. “So we’re still going to New York?” she asked wiping the dried tears off her face. “Of course we are dear,” Piper smiled and helped her up. “Now, let’s get this over with and do what we have to,” Piper said handing Emerson her phone.
Three Years Ago
“What do you mean she doesn’t want her?” Mats whispered yelled to his teammates and their wives. Henrik and Therese Lundqvist shushed him in case the little girl in the other room could hear them. “Don’t worry she’s asleep,” Derick said walking back into his living room from his daughter’s room. “Lucky thing we had already decided to co-parent even if we weren’t together so I have a room all set up for her,” he continued walking into the room and sitting down putting his face in his hands. Mats, the Lundqvists and the Hagelins exchanged looks. “You know we’re all here for you right?” Therese asked putting a hand on his shoulder. “World’s best God Father over here!” Mats called pumping his fists in the air. Erica rolled her eyes at him and sat down on the couch next to Derick. “Have you figured out if she wants anything to do with Amelia?” she asked refusing to use Amelia’s mother’s name. Derick shook his head, “She said she doesn’t which is fine by me. I love and I’ll make it work.” Henrik sighed and shook his head; he couldn’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want to be with their daughter. “Have you called your mom?” Mats asked cautiously. Again, Derick shook his head. “You were the first people I called. I figured you’d be able to help me right off the bat. She’ll need someone to watch her during road trips and I can ask my mom to help for the longer trips but for the shorter ones I was hoping you would be able to help or know someone who would. After this I figure I’ll call my family and let them know,” he explained. The group shook their head in understanding. “Of course we’ll all do anything we can to help,” Therese said. No sooner had she finished reassuring him did a cry come from the baby monitor. Derick walked into his daughter’s room and his friends could hear him on the monitor. “What is it Amelia? Daddy’s here. Daddy will always be here,” he comforted the crying six-month old. Therese blinked back tears thinking of her own young daughter knowing that she would do anything to help Derick and his young daughter.
