Make It Back to Me

Games three and four were hard for Evelyn to watch. The two games—played in Philadelphia—had handed the Blackhawks two losses, evening the series at two games for each team. Despite the long season, the Blackhawks were playing their best hockey. Unfortunately though, so were the Flyers. The games were as close as could be, sending the fans of both teams into hysterics every time a check was delivered, a pass was followed through, and a puck hit the goal post. The games were becoming tougher, the contact rougher, and the rivalry more bitter. For anyone watching the series, it was clear to see the Blackhawks and the Flyers were more similar than they were different.

Game five had a more definitive result, win for the Hawks; notching three goals in the first period while keeping the Flyers from scoring any. Adding another two in both the second and third period were too much for the feisty Philadelphia team to come back from, and the Blackhawks went back to Philly for game six with the chance to end it.

Unlike games three and four where Evelyn had stayed home with their son, the Eager family made their way to the city of brotherly love, more than happy to cheer on their husband and daddy. Sitting in the box with other members of the Blackhawks’ families, Evelyn bounced baby Ben on her lap, his eyes glued to the ice below them. “I still think it’s precious he’s so enthralled,” Kita laughed, adjusted her Adam Burish jersey as she took her seat next to Evelyn.

“So, Mike,” Kita drawled, her brown eyes locked on the handsome face of the younger Eager brother. “Are you single?”

Evelyn snorted out a laugh as Mike’s eyes widened. “Aren’t you, like,” he stuttered, “dating Burish?”

“Yeah, so?” she smirked, leaning over Evelyn and baby Ben a little, making the woman laugh louder at the look on her brother-in-law’s face. Baby Ben squealed as his Auntie Kita moved closer to him, his little hands grabbing at her arms, making her falter slightly to coo at the munchkin. “I can’t ask a question?”

He paused, as if he was contemplating the chances that the Wisconsin native would kick his ass if he played along with Kita’s flirtatious questions. Evelyn continued to laugh as the second intermission ticked by, Kita eventually abandoning her spot next to her friend to take the empty spot next to the brunette Eager. With ten minutes until the third period would begin, Evelyn let her friend and brother-in-law flirt with each other as much as they wanted. They seemed to forget their nerves about the game, and for the woman who suddenly had maternal instincts toward almost everyone, that was just fine with her.

With her son in her arms, Evelyn looked around the Wells Fargo Center, suddenly remembering that it was the same building Ben had begun his NHL career in. Ben was torn about how he felt about his time in Philly. He’d made lasting friendships, but his relationship with management never seemed to go in his favor. He did everything they asked of him, but could never seem to break out of the mold of nothing but a two-minutes-a-game fighter and pest.

While he knew his reputation would never completely steer away from thoughts like that, Ben Eager would be lying if he said it didn’t bother him that most saw him as nothing more than an enforcer. It was Evelyn that would reassure him, tell him the things the Blackhawks commentators would say about him. Sure, he was a tough guy, and yeah he fought a lot, but players needed to keep an eye on him when he was on the ice. A fast, polished skater, a great stick-handler, and a solid wall of power, he was so much more than a fighter. Ben Eager was a role player you wanted to have on your team, because it was damn hard to play against him. His game winning goal in game two had been a screaming testimonial of that.

The third period started, and everyone was on the edge of their seats. The atmosphere in the arena was electric; the tension so thick. With every second that ticked by, Evelyn’s hand subconsciously moved toward the arm of her brother-in-law until her fingers were wrapped around his forearm. “This is torture,” Mike barely whispered, blue eyes identical to his big brother’s locked on the puck as it raced around the ice.

From her spot in the box, she could see the players on the Blackhawks bench moving and fidgeting more than usual, their demeanor changing as the minutes ticked by. Her fingers dug into Mike’s skin until he he grabbed her hand and their fingers were entwined. Had she dare take her eyes off of the ice, she would have seen Kita’s fingers laced with his other hand. The string of expletives that ran through her head were constant as she watched the game. “Please, please, please,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut for just a second.

“Fuck!” Mike shouted, giving the girls’ hands a light squeeze and he shook his head and sighed. Evelyn snapped her eyes open to see a mob of orange on the ice. “They fucking tied it,” he groaned.

“It’s not over yet,” Evelyn said, almost as if she was convincing herself the boys could still do it. Scott Hartnell’s goal had changed the atmosphere completely, breathing new life into the home team. She took a deep breath, leaning down to kiss the top of her son’s head, who sat perfectly still on his mother’s lap, showing no signs of being tired.

Everyone in the box sighed or cursed again when the clock reached zero and the game was still tied. With so much on the line, an extended game as the last thing anyone wanted. “I’m so nervous I’m sweating,” Evelyn frowned, pulling her hand from Mike’s and wiping it on her pant leg before she gave it back to Mike.

Laughing he grabbed it and held it tightly, wincing as the women held on tighter as the overtime period started and the intense game play picked back up, minute by minute.

“I’ve watched my brother play a lot of hockey. I’ve experienced a lot of his teams. He’s won a lot of stuff, but this…” he paused, but before he could finish, he froze, watching as Patrick Kane streaked up the ice, the puck on his stick.

He wound back and shot, and a second later, he threw his gloves up in the air. The arena froze, save for the Blackhawks filing off of the bench. “Did that go in?!” Kita exclaimed, standing in her seat. “Please tell me that went in!”

The footage replayed on the jumbotron, and though it had not been officially declared a good goal by the referees and the ‘war room’ in Toronto, everyone could see Patrick Kane had just won the Chicago Blackhawks the Stanley Cup after a forty-nine year drought.

Everyone in the box, if they weren’t already standing, slowly stood from their seats. Their eyes were wide and their mouths hung open as they began to hug each other.

“We have to get down there,” someone said, and soon everyone was gathering their things and rushing down to the ice.

Evelyn couldn’t run fast enough. With her son in her arms and Mike and Kita on her heels, they practically raced each other; and Evelyn—with baby and diaper bag with her—was winning. Just as they reached the tunnel that led to the ice, the referee announced the goal had been good. As the players of the Blackhawks mauled each other again, the Flyers with heads lowered lined up to shake hands.

Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Evelyn watched as a man approached them as the news crews began to file onto the ice. “The Blackhawks’ families, I’m told,” he said, smiling at Evelyn and her son. “It’ll be just a minute now, after they present the Cup.”

As Gary Bettman walked onto the ice, Evelyn heard nothing around her. Her eyes were locked on the back of Ben’s head as he stood perfectly still, watching his captain hoist the Cup over his head. Jonathan Toews let out a loud howl as he skated toward his teammates. Glancing to her left, Evelyn saw Andre and Brian Toews with tears in their eyes.

As Lord Stanley’s cup was passed from man to man, the tears in Evelyn’s eyes came harder. “Lyn!” Kita exclaimed breathlessly as Ben lifted the Cup over his head. The young woman lost it, her chest constricting as she watched her husband acquire the thing he wanted more than anything since he was a child.

Just a few seconds later, the security guard moved out of the way, telling them they were allowed to take the ice, and of course, to be careful.

“Lyn,” Mike said, catching her attention as everyone moved past them. “Give me Ben and your things.”

“What?”

Mike laughed, taking his nephew into his muscular arms. “I’m right behind you, just go find my brother, Lyn!” he told her, shoving her onto the ice.

Getting her balance as best she could, Evelyn started to glide across the ice. She grinned, tears in her eyes as she passed Adam and Kita, the woman lifted into his strong arms as he pressed his face into her hair. She turned slightly, to see Kita lock eyes with her over Adam’s shoulder. “Go get him,” she mouthed.

She passed Niklas and Phoebe who stood silently across from each other, the biggest smiles she had ever seen spread wide across their faces. She saw Jonathan Toews, hugging his tearful mother tightly, whispering things to her Evelyn heard but couldn’t make out. She saw Patrick Sharp and his fiancé locked in a kiss. She passed Patrick Kane as he shed his own tears, the reality that he had scored the winning goal hitting him hard.

And then she saw Ben. Hands hanging limply at his sides, his blue eyes searched everywhere around him. Evelyn came to a stop just a few feet in front of him, and he froze, a shocked look on his face. Shaking her head and smiling widely, Evelyn threw herself into his arms, him easily catching her. No words were shared between them for a long while. Ben simply held her tightly as they both shed tears.

Placing her down, Evelyn wiped at her cheeks as Ben composed himself. “You did it,” she whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist, the million watt smile she loved to see lighting up his entire face. If possible he grinned more, and Evelyn knew Mike had found them. She turned, crying slightly as Ben hugged his brother before grabbing his son, kissing the baby’s fat cheeks before hugging the baby tightly against his chest.

A few minutes later, as it was Ben’s turn to take some pictures with the Cup, Mike asked his older brother if he had all he needed. Smiling at his wife pressed against his side, his son in his arm, and the Stanley Cup sitting on the ice just in front of them, Ben laughed.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”