With Arms Wide Open

The black and orange nation cheered loudly as the home team filed off the ice and into their own locker room. The Philadelphia Flyers had a 2-0 lead over the visiting team, the New York Islanders, and the home crowd could not be more excited, everyone on their feet, clapping and cheering at the victorious first period.

“He’s playing great!” Chris Pronger’s wife, Patricia, gushed to Zoe, patting her knee gently as she watched the highlights on the jumbotron. “You must be so proud of him.”

She smiled, nodding. They had been through a lot, but Michael seemed to have found his niche in Philly. Back in Carolina, he had been the back-up goalie for the Hurricanes, but even when their starting goaltender got hurt, the coaching staff did not seem to have enough faith in him, choosing instead to bring in a whole new goalie to the franchise. All Michael wanted to do was play and here with his new team, it seemed he was able to accomplish his dream.

“So when are you due?” Carrie questioned, Mike Richard’s newest fling. Her pearly white teeth were displayed when she flashed Zoe a big smile. She fiddled with her obviously dyed blonde hair, the brown roots already beginning to emerge.

“Next Thursday,” Zoe answered, her hands running over her very swollen belly. Her husband and her were ecstatic for the birth of their first son after having a daughter three years before. Now, little Cameron was looking forward to playing the big sister roll, as she constantly reminded everyone she saw.

More than anything, Zoe could not wait to meet her little boy. The pregnancy had been quite a bit more stressful than the first one and all she wanted to do was hold their healthy baby in her arms.

Cameron was currently wandering around the luxury box, attempting to talk to some of the occupants. Every once in a while she would glance over at her mother and point to her, showing off her baby brother to whoever she was engaged with. They would laugh at her cuteness, patting her head as she excited squealed, telling them she was going to be the “bestest big sis ever”.

“Oh my god,” Zoe managed to get out, her eyes widening in shock, causing the other wives and girlfriends in the box to look over at her. She clutched her stomach, feeling a sharp pain and a new wetness between her legs. Without much hesitation, Patricia, who already had three children of her own and was well experienced in the matter, moved closer to her, gently holding onto her back.

“Breathe,” Patricia reminded her, before hastily taking action. “I need you to go get some paper towels,” she directed to Carrie, who Zoe was pretty sure Patricia just wanted to get out of the way. “Ann, can you bring up your car to the front of the building so we can get her to the hospital as quickly as possible?”

Ann, James Van Riemsdyk’s girlfriend, nodded her head, quickly digging through her purse for her keys as she promptly left the room, not needing to be told twice.

Patricia rapidly resumed her assigning. “Vicky, can you hurry down to the locker room and tell Michael that his baby is on the way? I’ll stay with you as we start making our way down to the lobby,” she assured Zoe, gently helping her to stand up from her chair. “Cameron,” she called over to Zoe’s young daughter, “would you like to come with your mother and I?”

Cameron eagerly nodded her head, not quite understanding what was going on. She quickly said goodbye to her current companion before rushing over to her mom and Patricia.

Vicky, Jeff Carter’s girlfriend, wasted no time making her way out of the luxury box and down the set of stairs, hoping to catch the players before the start of the second period.

The guard on duty eyed her, but quickly recognized her and allowed her to enter the room. As Vicky glanced around, she realized that is was currently emptying out, the players making their way to the bench and the ice. “Jeff!” she called out, spotting her boyfriend of nearly two years as she rushed over to where he is, knowing he would be able to help her out.

“Vic?” he spoke, confused. “What are you doing down here?” he questioned, before quickly adding, “Is everything alright?” He looked down at her, scanning her, but everything appeared to be fine on the surface.

One of the assistant coaches shouted over at him to hurry up and get out there with the rest of the team, but Jeff paused, glancing at Vicky, knowing she must have had a good reason from coming down at a time like this.

“Where’s Michael?” Vicky frantically asked. She nervously played with her long, black hair as she awaited his answer. She silently wished she had managed to get down the stairway quicker so that she would not have missed the man who was about to be a father for the second time, but things like that cannot always be helped.

“Leighton or Richards?” he probed, surprised that she would be looking for one of his teammates.

“Leighton,” she spoke. “I really need to talk to him, Jeff. Is he already out on the ice?” she questioned, though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

Her boyfriend nodded his head. “Vic, what’s going on?” He took off one of his gloves to scratch the back of his neck before putting it back on.

“Zoe’s going into labor,” she finally got out, realizing she probably should have just said that to begin with to save them both the trouble.

Jeff’s eyes widened, “Right now?”

Vicky rolled her eyes. “No, not right now,” she replied sarcastically, shaking her head at his stupid question. She looked at him expectantly, waiting.

He lifted his hand up, pointing towards the tunnel leading to the ice. “I should, I should probably go get him,” he stated, rushing off as best he could while on skates.

She lightly smiled at his retreating back, knowing, despite everything, how much she loved him.

“Jeff, where have you been? The period is starting in less than sixty seconds,” his coach, Peter Laviolette, called out to him, but he didn’t pay no mind, instead heading right out on the ice, skating over to their defending goal.

“Leights,” he shouted, stopping himself right in front of his goaltender. He wondered if he was the one who should really be giving Michael the news, but as his teammate stared at him, waiting for him to continue, he realized he didn’t have any more options.

“What’s up, man?” Michael questioned, his goalie mask lifted over his face to rest on the top of his head as he eyed Jeff.

Jeff broke out into a smile, remembering that he was in fact sharing good news with teammte. “Look, Zoe is going into labor right now. Congrats, Michael,” informed him, patting him on his back.

With a nod in thanks, Michael skated over to the bench, knowing his coaches would understand how important this was for him.

“What’s the problem?” Peter Laviolette asked, wondering why his starting goaltender was not on the ice. The buzzer sounded, warning the players and refs to head to the ice.

“Zoe is having the baby,” his voice rushed out. “I need to get to the hospital. I need to be there. I can’t miss it. I can’t miss it.”

Coach Laviolette let out a sigh. “Boucher,” he called out, “You are in net.” Boucher gave a confused look, but didn’t say anything as he grabbed his stick and his helmet and headed out on the ice.

Michael could heard shock from the crowd and the announcer as Boucher warmed up, surprised that a goalie who had not let in a single goal so far this game was being pulled.

“Michael?” his coach spoke up, pulling him from his thoughts. “What are you still doing here? Go!” He waved his hand off, before turning to inform the other coaches of the matter.

Without wasting anytime, Michael quickly headed to the locker room, shedding his equipment as he went and throwing it into his stall. His mind couldn’t comprehend what was going to me happening in the next few hours. He desperately hoped everything was okay with his wife and his baby, especially because their little boy was coming early.

“There you are!” a voice exclaimed behind him and he turned to see his teammates girlfriend, Vicky. “It took Jeff long enough to get you. Come on, I have his car keys; let’s get you to the hospital,” she pressed, tilting her head to the exit.

“Is Zoe okay?” he wondered as the two of them made their way out to the parking lot. Vicky unlocked the doors to the large SUV, before opening up the driver’s door and climbing in, Michael following suit.

“I just got off the phone with Patricia shortly before you got back in the locker room,” Vicky began. “Her and Zoe just got to the hospital and everything seems normal. They were getting her to the room and the doctor was supposed to see in just a moment,” she offered, pulling out of the parking lot.

It was only a few minutes before Vicky stopped in front of the hospital; Michael jumping out of the car before she even came to a stop. His excitement was expanding with each passing second and all he wanted to do was be with his wife and their children. His little girl was the most precious thing in the world to him, but he was greatly looking forward to his son, who he could one day play hockey with, who could enjoy some of the same passions as himself, and who, like his daughter, he could spoil.

“May I help you?” the blonde behind the reception desk question, looking up from her bundle of papers. She brushed back her curls from her face, trying to put on a smile, despite how clearly overworked she was.

“Yes, I’m looking for my wife, Zoe Leighton, she’s having our baby,” he answered, his fingers gently tapping the smooth, cool counter.

The receptionist looked over at her computer, clicking a few times on her mouse before nodding her head. “Room 189, that’s down that hallway right there and then take your second left,” she offered.

He muttered a ‘thanks,’ before following her directions.

“Michael!” Zoe called out upon spotting him as he entered the room. She was laying out on a bed, Patricia standing beside her, holding her hand, and his little Cameron sitting in the chair in a corner, swinging her legs back and forth.

Patricia moved away from Zoe as Michael took her place. “I’ll take Cameron to go get some ice cream or something in the cafeteria,” Patricia suggested, walking over to the young girl and picking her up. “I have my phone if you need me.” Both Leightons muttered ‘thanks’ as Patricia and Cameron exited the room.

“I’m so sorry it took me so long to get here,” he apologized, kissing her gently on the cheek, and brushing back her thick hair.

She shook her head. “I’m just glad you are here now,” she smiled, before her face scrunched up in pain. She tried to remember to breathe properly knowing that in the end it was all worth it.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he promised, as there was a knock on the door, followed by the doctor entering the room.

“How are we all today?” he greeted, making his way over to the soon-to-be-second-time parents.

--

Michael couldn’t stop smiling as he held his new baby boy. His wife was curled up in the hospital bed, still exhausted from the delivery, but a smile was still prominent on her face. There was a light tap on the door, before Patricia and Cameron filed into the room.

“Isn’t he handsome,” Patricia gushed, walking over to the two of them. Her hands reached out, gently rubbing her fingers over the baby’s slightly chubby arms, smiling brightly. “Have you named him yet?”

Michael shook his head ‘no’. “I’m waiting for Zo to wake up. We had a couple names picked up, but we never really decided on one for sure,” he explained.

“I’m big sis now, right, Daddy?” Cameron asked, tugging on her father’s jersey that he never changed out of.

“That’s right, Princess,” he responded, carefully kneeling down with his new son in his arms so Cameron could see him better.

“Let me see him,” Zoe called out, softly, gently sitting up in her bed, and reaching out for her son. Michael stood up, smiling at his daughter as he walked over to his wife, handing the baby to her. Cameron quickly raced over, her father picking her up so that she could see better.

“What should we name him?” Michael questioned, feeling nothing but pure bliss at the moment. Nothing in his life could compare to this, not all those time drinking beer with his buddies or his times playing hockey. Nothing.

“Hmm,” Zoe paused, thinking. “How about Wyatt? Wyatt Michael Leighton,” she offered, not taking her eyes off her little boy.

“I love it,” Michael smiled.

He knew in the coming years it was going to be tough, but throughout everything, he was going to remember this moment, this day, for the rest of his life.