Ride (Reposted)

Coming home from a busy and exciting trip to New York, she knew it was Jamie's off day, fresh off of a week away playing games in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. It was a hard road trip and they had won two and lost two. It was towards the end of the season, he was tired. Everyone was beat up, but they had made their play off spot, in which she was so happy they made it again.

She didn't ask him to pick her up as he was so tired, so she left the Range Rover at the airport.
Their relationship was finally back to where it was before, not without fights, big fights. But it was where it was at. She had exciting news for him. As well as her dress was finished, but she wasn't about to tell him or show him. She came through the front door, Bailey already waiting for her.

"Honey I'm home!" She hollered.

"In the living room!" He shouted back.

She found him sitting up on the couch, his hair in every direction. He looked tired. And
stressed.

"Were you napping?" She asked quietly, kicking off her shoes and sliding onto his lap.

"Yeah. I'm tired." He yawned after giving her a kiss.

"You look tired. We should get massages." She rubbed his shoulders, he was tense.

"I just had one."

"Not a sports massage. A relaxation massage, in a dark room where you can fall asleep in 2.9 seconds."

"I think we should stay here and let me cuddle my fiancée on the couch." He laid them down, his head resting on her chest.

He was sulking hard.

"My dress is almost finished." She told him.

"That's exciting." He said plainly.

"I'm going to Japan on Monday." She said quietly.

He sat up slightly and blinked at her.

"You're what?"

"I'm going to Japan on Monday."

"Why are you going to Japan?"

"For work. I have my visa approved and everything."

"Why Japan?"

"Your pissed aren't you?"

"I'm indecisive. I can't say you can't go cause it is for work. Can I see your dress though?"

"Jamie Benn. You are not allowed to see my dress. It's bad luck." She stated, making him pout, "but it is going to fit me like a glove."

"Will I like it?"

"I don't care if you do or don't. It's my dress."

He just groaned and rested his head on her chest again, and in a huff "This wedding stuff is stressful."

"You just focus on hockey. I have everything sorted. Bridesmaids dresses are next. We have a cake tasting tomorrow though."

"I thought you said you were going to handle the wedding stuff."

"Jamie. You are eating cake."

"I guess that's a good thing."

"You do need to put on weight. You're looking a little skinny."

"I always lose weight every year. Seasons almost done. Then playoffs. And then I'll bulk up."

"I like it when your beefy." She noted.

"I know. So what are you going to bring me back from Japan?"

"Not any clothes cause it'll all be way to small for your big bum. Maybe some candy. Possibly some Japanese fetish stuff."

"Do it I dare you." He sounded a little to excited.

"I knew you'd be into it!"

"Well you won't let me stick it in your ass!" He sat up, throwing his arms up while he was at it in frustration.

She laughed hard while he pouted.

***

With it being one of his rare days off, and being a rainy one at that. They made full use of it by cake tasting, grocery shopping and the afternoon being lazy and watching bad movies on TV, with plenty of snacks.

"I don't want you do go to Japan tomorrow. You just got back on Friday." He said quietly.

"I gotta babe. How do you think I feel when you go for long road trips?"

She was right. It was quiet and lonely for her when he was gone. She had her friends and the dog, but she made it very known she didn't like sleeping by herself in their big house.

"I suppose." He shrugged.

"I'm going to take all of July off. So we can honeymoon, and then the rest of the month in BC."

"What should we do for our honeymoon?" He asked as he watched her place her head in his lap.

"We should backpack in Thailand and stay in hostels." She grinned.

"No."

"We should backpack Europe and stay in hostels."

"No. Em, you realize this is the first time we'll be taking a leasurely trip somewhere? I'd like to relax, just you and I. Hawaii."

"Speaking of Hawaii..."

"What now? We aren't staying in a hostel." He groaned.

"Nooo. Mom and Dad are getting posted to Honolulu."

"Then we shall vacation on another island." He laughed.

"As in Mom wants me to go house hunting with her in Hawaii."

"When?"

"Reroute to Honolulu instead of LAX. I told her no simply because at that point I wouldn't have really seen you for almost a month."

"If you wanna go and spend time with your mum though Em." He ran his hands through her hair.

"I know I don't get to see my parents that often but they'll be here for the playoffs along with yours. I'm perfectly happy seeing them then. And she doesn't need my help house hunting, she's perfectly capable of doing so on her own. And Dad's gonna be there."

"Are they going to ship all the cars over?"

Emily got her love of cars from Shawn. He had a 1978 MG convertible that he rebuilt, as well as Emily's old Jeep.

"I think so. If not we can store here on the mainland."

"Why don't we just pay for the shipping? Their expenses are going to be maxed. It's not like they can just take a ferry over like we can in BC."

He watched Emily sit up and give him a very excited smile.

"What?" He asked awkwardly.

"Have I mentioned you are the best husband ever?"

"Best boyfriend, yes, best fiancé yes, but I think I just got upgraded to best husband." He laughed, pulling her back in.

"Yes you did." She let out a yelp as he kissed her neck, getting Bailey to jump at them "Daddy's making my neck tickle baby, nothing to be concerned about."

"Speaking of babies." He grinned.

"No. Not happening."

"Mum was asking. I think she wants a grandchild."

"She has grandchildren. One is named Bailey and one is named Juicey. One is an Australian
Shepherd, one is a Pit Bull. They are the cutest." She said in a baby voice looking at Bailey.

"I mean human grandchildren."

"In a couple of years when I take my IUD out."

"I would love to get started on this baby process, we aren't getting any younger."

"Jamie, you are 26, I am 25, we still have lots of growing up to do before we can get the baby train moving."

"That's funny cause you didn't think that last year."

"I said we weren't ready but you were so damn excited, it got me excited."

"If we were to have a baby, what would you want first?"

"I'd be happy with whatever, but a girl. A little mini me." She grinned up at him.

"I'd have to take a loan out to afford two of you." He rolled his eyes, "bump you up from princess to queen."

"A girl and a boy. I'd be happy."

***

She loved watching Jamie's face light up talking about kids. It made her want one sooner, but realistically she knew they weren't ready.

"I want four." He repeated for the millionth time since they got together, "all boys and maybe a girl."

"Two, one of each, we'd be happy. Bailey do you want siblings?" She asked Bailey, who had managed to curl up next to her on the couch without Jamie getting mad.

"I just want to be an embarrassing dad." Jamie announced.

"You love embarrassing the everyone else's kids. Jen said the girls call you Weird Uncle Jamie."

"I can live with that." He laughed.

She loved these days, however they were always before one of them jetted off somewhere. The little tease of a normal life, one would say.

"I can't wait till we get married." She sighed, looking at herself in the mirror, seeing the year of hard work at 2 hour sessions every day in the gym.

"Why's that?" Jamie asked, coming out of the bathroom.

"So I can get fat and have you legally mine so then you can't get away from me." She gave him a devious grin.

"All that hard work in the past year and your gonna let it go?" He laughed.

"No, but when I do get pregnant again you've got to let me eat what I want." She stated as she cracked open another beer.

"It's crazy that it's been a year since we lost Charlie." Jamie said sadly.

They had decided to name the baby they lost last year Charlie as they didn't know if it would had been a boy or a girl. This time last year she was in the hospital connected to wires, in a much worse state. And Jamie wasn't healthy either.

"Last spring was rough. Let's just be glad we're happy and healthy this year." She said as she knocked the wood of the kitchen island.

"And here's hoping to a Stanley Cup this year too." He picked her up and placed her on the counter.

"That would be perfect. We'd have a Stanley Cup, NHL Awards and a wedding within a week of each other."

"I'd probably be the happiest man alive." He admitted.

"You aren't happy now?"

"I am. Trust me babe, I am. But a cup would be prime. I'm having my best season yet. I may not snag the Art Ross this year, last year was impressive. But this season I just feel good." He smiled at her.

She loved seeing him happy. She loved that he wasn't in pain like he was last season.

"Since my parents are moving to Hawaii, I have a feeling we'll end up there anyways. Why don't we do Europe. Maybe just like Barcelona."

"I'd be happy with Barcelona. You don't want to go somewhere private and we just veg out for two weeks?"

"We'll be going to Kelowna just the three of us anyways. We'll leave Bailey with Jordie and Jess and have two weeks with our phones off, come home, collect Bailey and sneak off to the Okanagan."

"We're not driving again." Jamie growled.

"But that was so much fun." Emily laughed, pulling him close with her long legs.

"That was an incredibly long drive."

"I'm surprised you remembered half of it."

The sudden touchiness between them cause Bailey to let out a little yip, clearly thinking the attention should be on him.

"Even Bailey agreed it was a very long drive." Jamie laughed, picking the dog up, which was something the 80 pound Australian Shepherd enjoyed.

"Bailey loves his car rides. Especially since he has the back seats all to himself! And we'll be going to Maine this summer too." She gave Bailey a scratch. To say he was spoiled was an understatement.

"We'll be what?" He asked her, blind sided by her statement.

"You agreed to go to Maine. I haven't been in years to the camp. We've gone to Victoria almost every summer with your family. It's time to pay your dues and come to mine. And we will be driving." She grinned.

"Let's not in front of the children." He put Bailey down, making her laugh, hard.

"Your the child here, J. We are going to Maine. In the truck. The big truck. It's a two day drive. We go first two weeks of August."

"I guess there's no point in arguing because it sounds like I'm going to lose." He shook his head.

"Exactly." She crossed her arms.

"And why the truck?" He pouted.

"Because the Range Rover is too expensive to go down the road and the Escalade won't be comfortable. The truck is 4x4, lifted and will get us out there in a breeze."

"But it's just so loud and obnoxious."

"Its diesel so less fill ups."

"Would you stop being a god damn redneck for once." He grumped at her.

"You're marrying a redneck, you like to eat the best red meat don't you?"

"Babe, I love the deer, and the other dead animals you bring home. But seriously." He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"We're taking the truck. Suck it up." She reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders, causing him to stand up straight so she couldn't reach. "Not fair. You're a giant."

"It's got its advantages. It's got its disadvantages. We can't 69 easily." He laughed, bracing himself.

"Jamie Benn!" She smacked his arm. "I'm still pissed that you turned down a massage." She groaned.

"I can't wait for you to go to Japan, Pissy Pants. And you better come back in a better mood."

"I'm in a shitty mood? You've been in mope mode since I got home."

"Well you came in announcing that you were going to Japan." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But I'm going to bring home such cool stuff. Konichiwa!"

"You know what they say about me in Japan?"

"What do they say Jamie?"

"I'm small in America but big in Japan."

"Oh. My. GOD. Poor little 9th grade Jamie all of 5'6 creeping on the Japanese school girls." She howled laughing, falling back on the counter.

By the time she had finished laughing at him, she sat back up and found him pouting.

"There's nothing small about you now Jamie. Including your big ass." She reached around and grabbed his butt.

"I know you love this big old ass." He blushed, "how about we take this upstairs."

"Only if you give me a massage." She smiled pulling him close.

"Oh I'll give you a massage alright. The Jamie Benn special."

"Worlds shittiest massage before a 20 hour flight. I'll be essentially time travelling to Tuesday."

"Who are you flying with?"

"Air Canada to Vancouver, Japan Airlines to Tokyo. Singapore Airlines to LAX and then Virgin America to Dallas Love. First class everything."

"Look at you, aren't you fancy."

"I always fly first class." She laughed.

"Is that why our AMEX bill is so high lately." He cocked a brow at her.

"Most likely." She batted her eyelashes at him.

She loved when they just relaxed and had good banter. She loved being silly with him, she was happy she was marrying someone with the same sense of humour she had.

"Now, let's talk bachelor and bachelorette parties." He got serious, they never actually got around to talking about it yet.

"I was thinking Miami for mine. I don't want to have a joint one."

"Miami eh? What if while I was in Vegas for the NHL awards, you joined me for the ceremony, and then I have my bachelors the next night and you come back here. Chubb's Last Club. Or something like that."

"I like that. That's funny. I don't even know what my bridesmaids are thinking. I'm letting them plan it."

"If it's Jenny and Shadi, it's probably going to be lots of penis stuff."

"You should mold yours. That way I have your cock on the road with me. Or when your on the road."

"That's going to be a no from me. Because something tells me your mother would clean our house, find it and have lots of questions."

"They're going to be in Hawaii. They'll probably want us there for Christmas."

"I could do Christmas in Hawaii if we don't play Christmas Eve and Boxing Day."

"Mom and Dad want to buy a big house for all their grandkids I'm apparently going to give them. So your parents, Jordie and Jenny could come too."

"We'll talk about that in November when we see our schedules."

"I can't wait till we get married." She smiled at him.

"What now?"

"Cause I'm gonna cut my hair off. I've been thinking for a while though about it."

"How short?" He pulled her pony tail.

"No longer then my collarbone."

"So your getting caveman hair." He laughed.

"No. It's not going to be caveman hair because it's going to be cut carefully and styled, not just grown out and rolled out of bed and put a hat on."

"You liked me like that. That's how I won you over. The caveman look."

"Cause I knew my mom would absolutely despise it! But you cleaned up nice." She ran her fingers through his messy hair.

The next day was a whirlwind, and they were rushed for time. She nagged him to get out of bed so she could get to DFW 3 hours early, getting there with minutes to spare so she could get her luggage on. He was super cuddly that morning not wanting her to go.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this." He pouted, pulling her in close again.

"Well you've got to. I had to get used to you being on the road." She groaned.

"But your dad was always away a lot too."

"Jamie, I've really got to go."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. I love you. I will call you when I land in Vancouver and text you when I land in Tokyo." She tried to pull away.

"Call me when you land in Tokyo."

"You'll be sleeping. And you've got to go to practice. You're going to be late." She pushed him off of her.

Giving him a parting kiss she made her way to security. She was so excited to go to Japan. Even if she had the worlds mopiest fiancé, who didn't want her to go. He got to go to all of her favourite cities with out her, Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Tampa, Boston. He could suck it up. She was about to embark on a trip of a lifetime to a country she'd never thought she'd go to.

Notes