Make It Back to Me

With mother and baby in perfectly good health, both Evelyn and baby Ben were released from the hospital the following afternoon after the nighttime birth. Knowing they’d need help carrying their things and the baby, Ben asked his wife if she’d like one of the girls to help them make the trip from the hospital to their home. Evelyn grinned, but shook her head, telling Ben she wanted Patrick Kane to be the one to help. She had sensed the night before that he wanted to hold she and Ben’s new son, but with Kita, Phoebe, and Adam Burish, of all people, he hadn’t got the chance. Besides, she was sure he had been afraid to even ask to hold the newborn after a few jokes had been cracked about how “he’d drop the poor thing” and that the new parents “shouldn’t let Kaner near their child.”

The jokes were in good fun, and Patrick was the first to admit that, but still Evelyn knew they got to him. Besides, he was one of her closest friends in a way so different from Kita and Phoebe. She wanted him to share a few moments with her and her little family. As far as she was concerned, Patrick Kane was part of it.

Ben laughed and nodded, leaving his wife and child at the hospital temporarily to pick up the young forward. Evelyn was grateful for the time, wanting to spend a few moments alone with the tiny person in her arms. Though she had been glad to spend the hours after giving birth with her closest friends and husband, she had only wanted five minutes of time alone with her son, something she had not gotten. After carrying him for nine months, Evelyn now understood what all the hype about motherhood was about.

Here she was, holding her baby who had – just the day before – still been inside the womb. It didn’t matter if her son grew into a mini version of her husband (like she expected), Evelyn and Ben Jr. would always have a special bond that Ben would never have. She had carried him, took care of him, and loved him way before anyone else. No matter what, she was always going to love him. She had made him.

“I’m still weak and sore,” Evelyn said, frowning up at her nurse as baby Ben slept in the infant bed that rested next to Evelyn’s.

“You will be for a while, honey,” the nurse told her. “You want to get changed? As soon as your hubby comes back, you’re being discharged.”

Evelyn grinned as she nodded, letting the nurse help her out of the hospital gown she still wore and into a pair of sweat pants and a long sleeve, low cut t-shirt. As she stood along-side the bed, adjusting the clothes on her body, she let out a laugh. The nurse gave her a questioning look, but understood what the new mom was laughing about when she said, “I feel so light.”

“You look gorgeous. You didn’t gain too much extra weight.”

“Yeah, a little working out will get rid of the extra pounds… whenever I feel like doing that. Ben’s notorious for making me feel perfect, you know.”

“He’s had all the nurses swooning since you got here, I’ll have you know. Those blue eyes, those big biceps, the ’anything my wife wants, she gets’ speech he gave all of us, too…”

Evelyn rolled her eyes, laughing lightly as the man himself came back into the room, Patrick Kane walking behind him. Her eyes widened at the bouquet of pink roses in the younger man’s hands, grinning from ear to ear as the Blackhawks’ biggest star handed them to her before wrapping her in a hug. “Congratulations, mom,” he told her as he held her, making tears well in Evelyn’s eyes.

“You are too sweet, Patrick. Thank you, seriously. I’m glad you were able to come help us.”

“Hey, beautiful,” Ben smiled, kissing her cheek before he moved to the other side of the bed to help the nurse lock his son into the car seat. “How do we hook this into the car?” he asked her, making her smile and tell him that she’d be happy to help and show them.

“You ready to leave, momma?” Ben asked, turning toward his wife. She nodded and grinned, hooking her arm with Patrick’s free one. In the other hand, he held her overnight bag, and Ben had the baby carrier.

“Come on, Eager clan,” the nurse said, getting Evelyn’s signature on the discharge sheets for she and the baby. “Let’s get mommy and baby home.”

The ride to their home took fifteen minutes more than it should have because Ben refused to drive more than twenty-five miles over the speed limit. Now, with mother and baby safely snuggled into the couch in the living room, Evelyn asked Patrick if he wanted to hold little Ben. The young forward’s eyes widened as he nodded, making both Evelyn and Ben smile. Moving forward on the couch, the new mother handed her newborn baby to Patrick, grinning at how easily he knew how to hold little Ben.

“I remember holding my youngest sister once she got a little bit bigger.”

“You’re a natural,” Evelyn told him. “You’ll be a good dad one day.”

Patrick scrunched his nose as he shook his head, telling the new parents it would be years and years before he had any of his own. “You never know, Kaner. You get plenty of ladies…” Ben started. “You might have one out there already!”

“That,” Patrick paused and glared up at his teammate, “is not funny.”

_______________________________- - -

Long after Patrick Kane left the Eager residence, Evelyn and Ben found themselves snuggled together in bed, little Ben resting against his father’s chest, sleeping peacefully. “I can’t believe we have a son,” he whispered, casting a glance at his wife, who was near sleep herself.

“I’m so happy,” she whispered back, her head falling onto Ben’s shoulder as her hand gently reached forward to play with the small tufts of light brown hair on her son’s head. “He’s so beautiful.”

“Coach said I don’t have to go to any practices and the morning skate before the next game on Thursday is optional,” Evelyn nodded, smiling widely. “We have time to figure stuff out together.”

“Let’s just hope this little guy loves sleeping as much as his parents do.”

Ben laughed, agreeing with his wife’s statement, “How long until he’ll be able to go to a game with his mommy?”

Evelyn laughed, “Thursday, if we sit in the box. I think Kita and Phoebe will ditch the stands and the fans for little Ben.”

As if the infant knew he was being talked about, his big, blue eyes fluttered open and he let out a small noise. Ben lifted the little boy off of his chest and held him in his arms, smiling down at his son as the baby smiled up at him. “He’s smiling,” the Ottawa native started, before his face turned sour. “Oh god, change him.”

In his father’s arms, little Ben started crying obviously in discomfort. Evelyn laughed at her husband, climbing off of their bed and taking her son into her arms. “Come with me, Ben. You’ve got to learn how to change diapers, too.”

Ben followed his wife with a groan, but before they could reach the nursery, his cell phone went off. Sticking his tongue out at Evelyn childishly, he headed back into their bedroom and answered the call. Greeting his mother with a happy greeting, he could tell she was near tears on the other end.

“I can’t believe I’m a grandmother,” she sniffed. “I can’t wait to see the little guy. You have to take pictures and e-mail to your brother for us.”

“I know, mom. Evelyn’s parents said the same thing; we’ll start on it tomorrow. Tonight, we’re just relaxing. Everyone’s a little exhausted.”

“I bet,” she sighed. “Give Evelyn and Ben Jr. our love.”

Leaving his cell phone on his bedside table, he walked back to the nursery to see his son in a fresh diaper, in one of his pajama onesies, and snuggled into his mother’s arms. Ben stood against the door frame, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he watched Evelyn sway back and forth, not aware Ben was watching her. The hockey player felt the sting of tears in his eyes again, and shook his head at himself. It seemed like all the raging pregnancy hormones Evelyn had, had been transferred to Ben as soon as their son was born.

He knew, though, that he should not be ashamed of his emotional state. His son had just been born, and even though a few years ago having a baby seemed so far off in the future, he had never felt happier.

“Hey,” Evelyn whispered, as she turned and finally noticed her husband in the doorway.

“Hey, beautiful. Is he ready for bed?” Evelyn nodded and walked toward his bassinet that Ben had moved from the living room and into the room. Placing their son into it, Evelyn pressed a feather light kiss to his forehead, smiling at Ben as he did the same. “Are you ready for bed?” He continued, wrapping his arms around Evelyn’s body. She nodded against his chest as she let out a yawn.

Ben quickly pulled of his shirt and pants, tossing them into the laundry basket before crawling into the bed in just his boxers. He flipped the television on, watching the ten o’clock news as Evelyn shuffled into the bathroom, removing her makeup. When she stepped back into the bedroom, Ben rolled his eyes seeing her arms wrapped around her stomach as she made her way to her side of the bed.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ben asked, stopping her from getting into the bed. “You’re going to overheat yourself in sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt.”

“But - ”

Ben sat up and captured Evelyn’s lips in a kiss, his large hands holding the side of her face as he pressed his bare chest against her petite body. “You are beautiful, Lyn.” He smiled as she nodded and walked to her dresser, pulling off the shirt and slipping a tank top on. She pulled her sweatpants down and left herself in her underwear before finally crawling back into bed.

Turning the TV and the lights off, Ben made sure the baby monitor was on before pulling his wife into him. “I gained thirty-five pounds,” she said, her words slightly muffled as she rested her face in his chest.

“So?” He asked, sounding completely confused as to why she would bring that up, making Evelyn laugh.

“I love you,” she told him, kissing his chin.

“I love you, too, Lyn. Remember, I always think you’re beautiful.”

She grinned, nodding against his chest, knowing eventually she would want to lose the weight for herself. She wanted to get her body back to it was before she had gotten pregnant, for health reasons and because she had an entire closet full of her pre-pregnancy clothes she was determined to wear again, no matter what Ben said.