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.