"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."
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