Just Like Paradise

“Mama! Where my ‘kates?” Brianna giggled as she entered Jake’s blue bedroom to see her little boy hanging out of the chest at the end of his bed, wiggling as he dug around through the hockey gear he kept to use in the backyard. “Mama!” He called again.

“Baby, they’re down by the patio.” Brianna said, making Jake jump in surprise. He gave his Mom a sweet grin, showing off the two spaces in his smile that were missing teeth. Jake Alexander Oshie was a big bad five years old and in morning preschool at Saint Therese Church where he had already been caught kissing two girls during nap time.

“Oh, thanks.” He giggled, running past her and down the stairs where his Dad was already waiting. Brianna shook her head as she slowly gathered the gear he had tossed onto the carpet, piling it back into the chest before making his small bed. She gathered his laundry and walked down the stairs of their four bedroom, four bathroom home in Minneapolis. She loaded the tiny articles into the washing machine and had a great view of the backyard from the laundry room, watching as TJ laced his son’s skates before he could bolt out onto the ice.

She sighed, checking her cell phone to see no missed calls or texts from her three other children. Tyler was in his final year at the U of M and had already signed and entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Four years at two million a year seemed to be just right for Tyler. He also had a steady girlfriend that Brianna and TJ both approved of. She was a nice girl from St. Paul who was also at the U. He had brought her home for major holidays and long weekends when he could get away from hockey and his parents thought that she was quite good for Tyler.

Nate had another year and a half to go at Boston College. He was already signed into a very lucrative deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, earning almost an eight-figure deal after going as the first pick in the first round of the two thousand twenty-seven NHL Draft. He would be graduating next spring with a degree in business and finance under his belt as well as a fiancé. Nate and Ana had taken the next step and one night during the fall of their junior year, he popped the question.

Brianna was thrilled when she got the call from Ana who was a blubbering, joyful mess at the idea that she was going to be marrying her son. TJ couldn’t have been more proud and excited for Nate who seemed so genuinely thrilled to be engaged to Ana. They weren’t planning on getting married for another year or two, a long engagement. Ana would be following Nate to Pittsburgh, applying for Grad school at U Pitt.

Abby was currently finishing her first semester at Cornell. It was still hard to get phone calls and texts from her. Brianna would choke up and TJ would sigh as he ended their calls. It was too hard having their only girl out of the house and so far away from home. It was especially tough on TJ from going to spending nearly every waking moment with his baby girl to a few phone calls a week. He hated to relive the scene on campus when they had finished moving her into her dorm and taken her to dinner.

TJ had just paid the bill at an upscale restaurant in Ithaca, a stone’s throw away from campus that they were now driving back to.

“Thanks for dinner, Dad.” Abby smiled as they stood outside her dorm building. He nodded, having a hard time making eye contact as a few boys left the building. He wished they would have gone with an all-female dorm like he suggested but he just couldn’t win against his daughter and wife who insisted upon coed.

“Any time.” He insisted with a watery smile, forcing out an awkward cough, trying to stay strong in front of Brianna who looked like she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

“So you’ll be up for parents weekend, right?” Abby asked, avoiding saying goodbye in any way, but reassuring her parents that she would see them soon enough.

“Of course baby.” Brianna choked out, finally letting a few tears slip as Abby’s eyes watered as well. The two women sniffled and wiped their noses discreetly.

“Well that’s only a month away and we can go to a basketball game and maybe drive into the city.” Abby suggested as he voice cracked.

“Abby, sweetheart.” Brianna got out before Abby dove into her mother’s arms, hugging her tightly as they both cried. TJ stroked his hand up and down his daughter’s back, looking around the campus as he avoided the scene in front of him. He couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t be the same in a few moments if he couldn’t keep it together.

“It’s only a month before we see you again.” TJ insisted, “and you’ll call and text, right?” He asked, trying to diffuse the situation. Abby nodded. “And you’ll be home for fall break, and then Thanksgiving, and then before you know it, you’ll have three whole weeks off for winter break.” TJ said, reassuring all three of them, as Brianna and Abby broke apart. “Now give me a hug, huh? I bet your roommate wants to hang out and decorate and whatever.” TJ’s lips shuddered into a smile. “Now give me a hug.”

Abby clung to TJ like her life depended on it. He sighed, looking up to the sky as she shook in his arms, Brianna busied herself, looking through her purse to find her cell phone. Their flight was leaving early the next morning and it was already late.

“I’m scared.” She whispered so only TJ could hear her. TJ sighed as he held her tighter, head hanging down dejectedly.

“If you want we can hop a flight home right now and we’ll enroll you at a place near home, I’d do it, Abby.” TJ breathed into his daughter’s ear. “But I know how bad you want this and how hard you worked for it. So tell me right now, do you want to stay?” He whispered, pulling back to look down at her. Abby managed a small nod before she could bury her face back into his neck.

“I’m going to miss you.” She whispered, still sniffling as her tears subsided. “We’ve never been apart more than a week in my entire life.” She added.

“I know we haven’t.” He nodded. “But you’re going to have fun and meet people and work hard, time will go by so fast you won’t even believe it. I promise.” He said, stroking her hair back from her face. “And when you come home on winter break, you’ll be dying to get back to school.” He added with a sad smile. Abby nodded, giving him one last squeeze, kissing him on the cheek before he could do the same.

“Call us if you find you need anything before we leave, okay? The hotel is just a few minutes away.” Brianna said, hugging her daughter again.

“I will.” Abby nodded. “Call me in the morning before you go.” She insisted. TJ stood with his arm around his wife. They waved as she offered a happier smile, walking back to her dorm building, and before she could disappear inside of it, she blew them both kisses.

“Come on, babe, let’s head to the hotel.” TJ said, consoling his wife who had a steady flow of tears running down her pink cheeks.

“Mama are you watching?” Jake called from the backyard, waving as he hobbled back and forth on his little legs as he skated. She waved back, knowing she needed to finish the laundry before she too, could go out and play. It would be Christmas soon and before that the kids would be home on break, and she needed to get the house ready. She couldn’t wait to have all of her babies home again.

---

“Oh my baby.” Brianna gushed as she attempted to squeeze the life from her first born. He towered over her now and his body was incredibly firm and toned, reminding her of her husband when they first met.

“Hi Ma.” Tyler laughed as she hugged him tightly before ushering him inside. “Sara will be right in, she’s bringing in Moose.” He laughed, speaking of his chocolate lab.

“Brianna!” Sara cheered, throwing her arms around her boyfriend’s mother, excited to see her since they hadn’t been home since early November. The two women chatted for a few moments before Tyler whisked her away upstairs to help her settle into his room.

“When are Abby and Nate getting in?” TJ asked, wrapping his arms around Brianna as she stood over the stove, starting dinner for the eight of them that night. Nate had flown to upstate New York last night to be with Abby for a while, letting her show him around campus and spend some quality time with one another.

“They should be here any minute. Ana got home yesterday so they’re picking her up on their way over.” Brianna explained as she took the two giant pans of baked ziti out of the oven and quickly putting in two loaves of garlic bread. “Baby, help me get the salad.” She insisted, pointing to the fridge. Oshie grinned, walking over to his wife and nipping up and down her neck.

“You want me to… toss your salad?” He grinned, chuckling and earning a giggle from her as well before she could turn in his grasp to plant a hot kiss on his lips. The kiss grew heated and just as TJ had his hips pinned to hers into the counter, the front door flew open again.

“Oh ew.” Nate frowned as Abby pushed past him, flinging herself onto her parents.

“I’m home!” She wailed as TJ picked her up, swinging her around the kitchen as Brianna laughed and started assembling the salad on her own.

“Hi Mom.” Nate smiled as he walked in to hug her tightly. Brianna smiled into his shoulder, so happy to have all of her children home again, reminding her of the days when she stayed home to look after all three of them as they still waddled around in diapers. Hopefully soon enough (but not too soon) she’d have little grandchildren around the house as well.

“Ana, sweetheart.” Brianna hugged Ana tightly next. “Will you go check on Jake? He’s been napping but he’ll be cranky if he wakes up and finds out he’s missed out on all of the excitement.” She instructed Nate who nodded and followed obediently. It wasn’t long until Jake’s wild and distinct giggles filled the family room and soon the kitchen.

“Mama everyone’s home!” He squealed, launching himself from Nate’s hip to TJ who was quick to catch the little boy.

“I know baby, isn’t it exciting?” Brianna smiled as Jake snuggled into TJ’s neck, his cheeks still pink from the excitement, but also his nap. His small jeans and tiny Cornell t-shirt were wrinkled with sleep and his white-blonde hair mussed.

“Where’s Babby?” He asked of his sister who stepped out from the kitchen to bring her bags upstairs along with the help of Nate who carried the heavier of her suitcases.

“She’ll be back in a second, baby boy, she’s just upstairs.” TJ cooed, combing his hair through his son’s hair softly, the translucent wisps curling around his thick fingers. Brianna smiled as she watched her husband and youngest son, so glad that they had opened their home to the baby boy five years ago to complete their family. “Look how pretty Mama is.” He pointed out to Jake who turned his head to look at Brianna. “Doesn’t she look pretty?” TJ grinned cutely.

“Very pretty.” Jake smiled as he blushed himself.

“A man after my own heart.” Brianna giggled, leaning over the counter to kiss her son’s cheek before kissing TJ tenderly on the lips. Years of marriage and four children later, he still knew the way to make her heart race. “Go round everyone up, dinnertime.” She smiled, putting on a pair of oven mitts to carry the pasta to the dining room table. TJ nodded before heading out of the kitchen.

“Oshies! Feeding time!” Brianna could hear TJ call from the base of the main staircase that led to the floor that held the most bedrooms. Soon the bread joined the salad as well and Brianna took her seat at the table as the rest of the family came filing in.

The warm, happy room was filled with chatter, laughter and smiles, a true family feeling. Brianna and TJ’s hands found one another under the table, holding onto one another tightly as she looked over at him with an endearing smile. Nate was leaning close into Ana as he served her pasta, Abby kissed Jake’s pudgy cheek lovingly while Sara giggled at whatever Tyler was whispering in her ear.

The Oshie’s had an incredible family that loved another intensely. Two boys with promising futures in the National Hockey League as well as the women that loved them, a bright, intelligent, beautiful girl, and a young boy who was desperate to follow in his brothers’ footsteps. They were spread all over the nation, and Brianna and TJ still had another to go through school, first loves, heart breaks, joy and a hell of a lot of hockey games.

To some it may seem like chaos, but to Brianna and TJ Oshie, it felt just like paradise.

The End.