Chapter 14-Lady in Red

"Are you coming to the game tonight,” Mike asked as he ate his steak and pasta that Danielle had cooked for him. He had been cleared to play after his physical therapy had heeled his shoulder enough for him to play in the playoffs for the Capitals.

Tonight was game six of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals and Mike was anxious to get back out on the ice. If the Caps won, they took the series but if not, they were heading back to Boston for game seven.

“I may or may not,” Danielle replied. “I have work to do for school next fall and I have to register plus I have to reschedule my doctor’s appointment that we cancelled for today.”

“Wait until the series is over and do it. I need to see what the schedule is like for the second round if we make it.”

Danielle had been attending Georgetown University but when the media got word of her attendance, she began classes online since she was followed everywhere.

“Have you thought about scheduling a C-Section?”

Danielle stopped eating and looked at Mike like he had two heads, “What?”

Mike laughed at her facial expression before explaining what he had meant. “I mean what if we make it in the playoffs all the way until June and you go into labor? I won’t be able to forgive myself if I miss Landon being born because I’m out on the west coast for a game.”

“We’ll be fine,” Danielle said reassuringly. “I promise.”

Mike stood up from the table and took Danielle’s empty plate and his to the sink where rinsed it off before sticking them in the dishwasher. He turned around and Danielle was standing next to him holding their empty glasses out to him.

Mike smiled as he took them and he turned around to wrap his arms around Danielle, “I love you both so much.”

Danielle smiled as he rubbed her stomach and Landon kicked happily. Mike smiled; he still wasn’t used to the feeling. Danielle was now seven month pregnant and Landon had began kicking her shortly before her sixth month. Danielle relaxed into Mike’s arms, “Shouldn’t you be getting dressed? You have to bed at the arena at four.”

“I’m going to take a shower and a nap, feel free to join me,” he smirked as he walked down the hall leaving Danielle smiling after him.

Danielle was laying Mike’s suit out for him when her phone rang. She smiled as she slid the answer button of the iPhone over, “Hey Kiley.”

“Brooks got the jersey for you, what time am I picking you up?"

"Mike's leaving at four, are you riding with Brooks or do you want me to drive?"

"I'll drive," Kiley replied. "I told Brooks that I had to run a couple of errands before I went to the arena. Be ready at six o'clock."

"Alright, I'll be ready."

"You sound nervous, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I'm just anxious."

"You'll be fine, Mike will be so happy."

"I need to go make Mike a plate in case he's hungry when he wakes up and get ready. Call me when you get closer and I'll meet you out front."

"Sounds good, I'll see you at six."

Danielle said goodbye before going to the kitchen. She finished the dishes in the dishwasher and put a plate of food in the microwave for Mike.

Danielle set the alarm on her phone for 5:00 before crawling under the covers to take a nap. Mike came out of the bathroom drying his hair off with a towel.

"Are you ok," Danielle asked.

"I need to get with the massage therapist at the arena, my back is killing me," Mike replied.

Danielle stood up placing a kiss on Mike's lips, "Lay down."

"What?"

"Lay down on the bed and stretch your arms out."

Mike did as he was told and Danielle sat down on his butt, "Am I hurting you," she asked as she began massaging his back.

"God no, that feels so good."

Danielle ran her knuckles down his arms and back up to his neck. Mike groaned as Danielle hit the spot on his spine that was bothering him, "Right there," he gasped, "Oh God!"

"Better," she asked kissing his cheek.

Mike smiled at her, "Much better, thank you."

"Get some sleep, you got some ass to kick later."

Mike laughed before pulling her closer to him and they both fell asleep. Mike was the first to wake up when his alarm went off at two o'clock. He got dressed in his suit and smiled as he watched Danielle curl into his pillow watching him get dressed.

Mike leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Good luck," she grumbled as Mike pulled the blanket over her.

"Thanks! I'll call you after the game."

Danielle fell back asleep after he left and woke up a short time later to her own alarm going off. She showered and got dressed before waiting for Kiley to pick her up. Kiley had called her when she got closer to her and Mike's apartment. Danielle grabbed her purse and locked the door. Kiley reached behind the seat and held the jersey out to Danielle so she could put it on over her tank top. It was unseasonably warm for April in DC with 85 degree temperatures, definitely not hockey weather unless you were from Florida.

"Momma, you look good in red," Kiley said as Danielle buckled her seatbelt.

"I am such a dirty traitor."

"You were a traitor when you walked into that convention," Kiley joked.

"I had always been a closet Caps fan."

"You're a bad Penguins fan."

"I guess I have to be a Caps fan now since my baby's daddy plays for them, huh?"

"You left out boyfriend."

"Oh shut up and just drive."

Kiley laughed as they drove to the Verizon Center, "I swear to God if Brooks told them not to let me down after the game again, I'm going to the visitor's locker room and nailing Bergeron."

Danielle laughed, "You're terrible."

"I'm being dead serious. Last year after they lost to Tampa, he told them not to let me in and the security guard wouldn't let me go back."

"Wow!"

"Wow ain't the word, fucking bastard is."

"He's an idiot!"

Kiley laughed, "See, I knew that I liked you for a reason."

Kiley waved to the guard at the entrance to the player garage as she drove by. Danielle got out of the car and straightened her jersey.

"Do you just want to go straight to our seats or do you want to see Mike first?"

"Let's go to our seats, does Brooks know where we are sitting?"

"Yeah he does, I'll go let him know we're here. I'll meet you up there."

"Ok," Danielle replied before heading up the parking lot to the main entrance of the building.

"Is your girl coming to the game tonight," Brooks asked as he and Mike sat on the bench waiting for their shifts.

"She said she'd let me know if she was, she has a lot going on with Landon almost here and her school schedule. I want her here but our son and her education comes first."

Brooks smiled as he let his eyes wander into the crowd, "Section 117 row J," he heard Kiley's voice say in his head causing him to groan then smile.

"What," Mike asked curious as to why Brooks was groaning.

"Look at section 117 about ten rows up."

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions, just do it."

Mike rolled his eyes but turned his head to the left anyways and he smiled as he saw Danielle cheering wearing his jersey. She saw him look at her and waved as Dale Hunter nudged them for their shifts. Mike jumped over the boards with a new light. She was there and most of all she was there wearing his jersey.

Mike threw is hands in the air as his slapshot flew behind Tim Thomas tying the game. Unfortunately when the game was over, the Capitals were heading back to Boston for game seven. To say Mike was disappointed was an understatement but when he saw Danielle after the game waiting for him in the family lounge wearing a red jersey, his jersey, he pushed the loss to the back of his mind and wrapped her in a hug. Danielle squeezes him tightly and mumbled an apology for the loss but Mike didn't hear her as Landon kicked excitedly against his hands while he kissed her.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are," Danielle asked Mike as they lay tangled up in each other in their bed after making love when they got home.

"You looked good in my jersey."

"You look even better in it," she replied smiling.

Mike laughed as he kissed her, "Thank you for being there today."

"You're welcomd but I'm never wearing red again."

"When I met you, you had a Caps jersey on. Don't even deny it."

"You would remember that!"

"I remember that day very well," Mike replied. "That was the day that I believed in love at first site."

"You're so cheesy."

"I'm being serious. You walked up to me and my world stopped. There were no other fans behind you or in front of you, it was just you and me. I knew in the bar that night too."

Danielle smiled at him before giving him a kiss, "I love you, cheeseball."

Mike laughed, "I love you too…traitor."

Chapter 13-All in the Family

"Why did your mom decide to have this family dinner at a small banquet hall," Mike asked as Danielle carried the pan of rigatoni.

"It's a family reunion," she replied, "She figured since everyone is here for the baby shower, why not have a family reunion? Your family's here too."

"What," Mike asked as he held the door open, "How come you didn't tell me?"

"I figured they'd tell you that they were coming."

"Well, they didn't."

"Don't be such a crab ass. I'm in no mood for your shit today."

"Don't be a bitch," he spat.

"Seriously, we're going to do this now?"

"You started it!"

"You started it," Danielle mimicked causing Mike to get madder than he was, "Seriously, grow the fuck up. We're arguing over why I didn't tell you your family was coming."

"A heads up would have been nice."

"A condom would have been nice six months ago."

"So would have birth control!"

"You're so lucky I don't hit you right now. Go take a fucking vicodin so you calm down. Stay away from me today."

"Fine," Mike snarled, "Hopefully you take your bipolar medicine."

"I'm the bipolar one," Danielle gasped, "You're the one who started this argument after being nice the whole way here."

"Seriously," Mike said, "Go fuck yourself."

"I'd rather fuck myself than you."

Mike walked away before the fight took a turn for the worse causing both he and Danielle to curse each other out. They've had fights the last couple of weeks about stupid things. Mike knew it was from the pressure of the team and his injury that was making him cranky with Danielle.

Mike reclined the passenger seat of his Escalade and closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep.

Danielle sat down at one of the tables running her hands over her stomach. Her back was killing her and all she wanted to do was sit all day. She hated when her and Mike fought, it reminded her of when she and her ex-boyfriend would fight where he'd storm out, only to return days later to apologize.

"Mike's not Jason," a voice inside of her head reminded her, "He's not out screwing the entire female population."

Danielle's family began filling the small banquet hall. Everyone was rubbing her stomach and asking her questions. Danielle's dad, Dan, walked in with Mike's family.
Kate Green was beaming with joy as Danielle walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"You are glowing," she gushed, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Danielle replied, "Hi everybody."

Danielle's mom came running over and introduced herself before her and Kate went off gushing to everyone. Matt introduced his wife and daughter to Danielle before asking where Mike was.

Danielle told him about the argument and how Mike disappeared before she excused herself. Danielle walked outside to the car, knocking on the window, she saw Mike stir in his sleep before sitting up.

Danielle laughed at how disheveled he was and she opened the door. Mike reached in his bag behind the seat and put his glasses on.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," Danielle replied leaning against the door.

Mike reached out and pulled her to him, "Sorry for being an asshole."

"We're both assholes," Danielle laughed, "We're both tired from driving this morning and we took it out on each other."

"I didn't mean to call you a bitch!"

"I'm used to being called a bitch, so it didn't bother me."

Mike kissed her cheek, "You didn't deserve that though."

Danielle turned her head to look him in the eye, "It's water under the bridge. Let's just go in and have a good time. By the way, my cousin is going apeshit so, please ignore him."

Mike laughed before leaning in to kiss her, "I love you, so I know I'll love your family."

"I hate them," Danielle replied, "They're a bunch of loud mouth assholes."

Mike laughed as he released his arms from around her waist, "I don't know about you but I'm hungry and your mom's pasta looks amazing."

Danielle smiled as Mike locked the car, and they headed into the family reunion, "That's my cousin's husband, Joe," she said as they watched the crowd gather around the man cheering, "He's the life of the party."

Mike laughed, "He looks like a good time."

"Before you knocked me up, I'd party with him every weekend."

As the family reunion wore on, Mike fell in love with Danielle's family. His family loved them too and were already making plans for a reunion in Calgary that summer when Landon was born.

At the end of the party, Mike helped Danielle clear off the tables of any garbage and they headed home.

“So…your parents and my parents are going to the bar,” Mike asked.

“Yup,” Danielle replied laughing, “Your brother and sister-in-law went back to the hotel and your sister went with them.”

“Wow,” Mike laughed, “Should we set a curfew for them?”

“I know, it’s super scary.”

“At least we got some time to ourselves,” Mike replied.

Danielle smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and they drove back to Danielle’s house. Mike locked the door as Danielle headed upstairs to their room. Mike heard water running in the bathroom knowing Danielle was taking a hot bath to relax after a long day of driving and her family.

Not wanting to disturb her, Mike changed his clothes and sat down on the bed waiting for Danielle to finish. Mike replied to a text that Nicky had sent him when Danielle entered the room. Mike gulped as he took in the lingerie that she was wearing.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered as he turned off the TV and stood up taking her stomach in his hands as he kissed her. Mike laid her back on the bed gently and slid the lace over her body as she reached for his sweatpants.

Danielle moaned as Mike entered her slowly and began his movements, “Mike,” she moaned as he bit down on her neck and she clawed at his back.

“I love you,” he whispered as he reached between them to run his fingers over her clit.

“FUCK,” she screamed as her back arched off of the bed and a couple of minutes later, Mike was hovering over her coming down from his high.

“I love you,” he whispered once again as he kissed her gently rubbing her stomach gently.

Danielle reached down and pulled the nightgown over her head before handing Mike his pants and they fell asleep. They had a long day ahead of them the following day as Mike would be attending Danielle’s baby shower because “the father should be there.” Mike thought that it was crazy but luckily Brooks and Kiley were driving up much to Brooks’ dismay. Nicky and Kristi were also coming to Pittsburgh to attend the baby shower.

Danielle was up first the next morning to the sounds of her and Mike’s families carrying on in the kitchen. She and Mike’s moms were finishing making cookies for the shower while their dads watched TV in the living room.

Mike showered and came downstairs and saw Danielle dressed and ready to go. It was eleven o’clock and the shower started at one. Brooks and Kiley ran into an accident on the turnpike and were in traffic, they would be half an hour late but according to Brooks, “The party didn’t start until he walked in.”

When Mike and Danielle arrived at the small restaurant that her mom had rented out for the shower, everyone who wasn’t at the reunion the night before was shocked to see that Mike really was the father of Danielle’s baby. One of the girls that she had went to high school with that remained in contact with her over the years smirked as she could recall Danielle’s crush on the Capitals defenseman.

“Everybody, this is Mike,” Danielle announced, “He’s Landon’s dad in case you were all wondering or for those of you who thought my mom and I were bullshitting.”

Mike laughed and gave an awkward wave as Danielle’s elderly great-grandmother who wasn’t at the reunion last night walked over to him, “You’re a hottie, want an old lady to teach you the ropes,” she winked as she pinched Mike’s butt causing him to jump and look at Danielle who was horrified.

“NANA,” Danielle scolded causing Mike to laugh.

“The boy is hot,” nana replied before going back to her seat.

“I’m so sorry,” Danielle apologized, “She can be a real firecracker when she wants to be.”

“Then I know the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree,” Mike smirked as Danielle kissed him.

“Sorry about the band aid on your neck,” she said, “I got carried away last night.”

“You were just marking your territory,” he whispered as he wrapped her in his arms putting his hands on her but pulling her as close as her stomach would allow.

Danielle giggled as Nicky came through the door with Kristi at his hide, “Nicky,” Danielle shrieked as the blonde Swede walked towards them with Kristi under his arm.

“Stay away from Nana,” Mike warned Nicky nodding his head in the elderly woman’s direction; “She just groped me and told me she’d show me the ropes.”

Nicky laughed and Kristi’s eyes went wide before looking at Danielle who laughed as well.

“She didn’t,” Kristi said causing Danielle to nod her head.

“Oh, she did.”

“Frizzy nana, apple does fall from tree, no,” Nicky asked.

“You mean frisky nana,” Kristi said causing him to blush as she corrected his English.

“Ja!”

“She’s very frisky, such a firecracker for 78.”

Jamie walked through the door greeting both Danielle and Kristi with hugs. She had finally gone away for college and was home for the weekend.

“Hey guys,” she greeted walking through the door setting down the big bowl of pasta salad that she had made.

“Jamie,” Danielle shrieked hugging her best friend, “I’ve missed you.”

Jamie smiled hugging her best friend tightly, “What’s up, Green?”

“Be nice,” Danielle whispered knowing her friend respected Mike and loved to joke around with him.

“Hi,” he said hugging her, “How’s school going?”

“It’s going well, just feels good to be home for a weekend and not suffocated by the country.”

“I hear you with that one,” he smiled as they all sat down to play the first game. It was a game where people wrote down what they knew about Mike and it wasn’t surprising that Jamie knew almost everything about Mike being the hockey nut she was.

Brooks and Kiley walked in when everyone was eating their lunch. Brooks sat down at a table next to Mike as Kiley took off to find Danielle across the room.

“We tell him about frizzy nana,” Nicky asked.

“No, we will not be telling him about the FRISKY nana,” Mike said as Brooks wondered what they were talking about as they whispered to each other.

“I’m fucking hungry, I’m going to eat.”

Brooks stood up from the table causing both Mike and Nicky to nudge each other. Brooks was getting food when Nana came up behind him and grabbed his crotch when he turned around.

“They don’t make packages like this anymore,” she said, “Your wife is a lucky girl but I think I can show you how experienced women get down.”

Kiley turned around and laughed at Brooks’ horrified facial expression, “If you want him, you can have him,” she joked turning around and smirking at Brooks who glared at her. Danielle walked over and pulled her grandmother away from Brooks who was standing there in shock. Mike and Nicky were laughing at the table as Brooks glared at them.

Danielle returned and sat down on Mike’s lap. Mike wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed her stomach gently while everyone took pictures.

“You’re family is crazy but I love them,” he whispered in Danielle’s ear as she leaned back into his chest while every woman tried guessing how many mints were in the baby bottle for a prize.

“I love you,” she whispered kissing him.

Mike smiled, “I love you too,” he whispered as Landon kicked excitedly in his mother’s stomach.

Mike smiled suddenly realizing that his future was in his arms and he needed to make it work because it was no longer just him and Danielle; it was him, Danielle, and Landon. The three of them were a family.