A Million Excuses

Brandon Dubinsky had it all- money, fame, and family. He and his wife Scout were newlywed, fresh off their honeymoon when they received world rocking news. Brandon was fresh off the plane from a four day road trip with the Rangers when he received a teary voice-mail from Scout.

“What's going on?” Micheal asked shoving his BlackBerry in his suit pocket after informing his wife, Emma, that the team had landed safely.

Brandon ran his hand over his face and groaned, “It's Scout, she left a voice-mail hysterical..”

“Is she alright?” The defense man asked his teammate and good friend.

The left wing shrugged his shoulders and sent bid adieu to his friends. Brandon climbed into his car and drove as quickly as the law allowed. He found his wife sitting on the new plush couch donning one of his a baggy sweatshirts from his days with Hartford. Her wispy bangs fell in front of her eyes as she clutched the house phone in her tiny hands. The athlete dropped his bags and rushed to his wife's side pulling her into a warm embrace.

“Baby, what's wrong?” He asked brushing a piece of hair behind her eye, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Scout chewed her bottom lip for a moment before looking up into her husband's deep chocolate eyes, “The.. the doctor called, you know my OBGYN.”

“Oh yeah?” Brandon asked holding his breath. There was nothing more that he and Scout wanted than to start a family together.

Alligator tears welled up in the bottom lids of Scout's green eyes, “C-cant have a baby!” She wailed clinging on to Brandon's shirt. Brandon's face dropped but quickly recovered it hoping Scout didn't see it. All he could do is coo and cuddle her.

The next morning, the once somber Dubinsky household was lively and full of action. Scout wiggled out of her husband's grasp from their spot on the couch and jumped in the shower quickly before calling up Leslie Stepan and Emma Del Zotto on a three-way call. She invited her two best friends over along with their significant others for a brunch to celebrate the boys recent win.

As all three couples sat around the large round table that had been set up a week ago, Scout cleared her voice standing up. Everyone, including Brandon, looked up at her with confusion and anticipation. “Well, I just wanted to get everyone together. I have an announcement to make.” She looked at her guests eagerly.

Derek Stepan rolled his eyes laughing, “Obviously, otherwise I would be at home eating burnt toast.”

“Watch it.” Leslie snapped smacking her husband upside the head, “Sorry about him.”

Scout shook her head and laughed, “Don't worry about it. Anyway, as you guys know.. Brandon and I have been trying to start a family but I got a call from the doctors. He said there is a slim to none chance of us conceiving a baby. I thought over it a million times over and com to the conclusion that I want to adopt. I don't want my lazy ovaries to be the cause of me and Brandon not having a family. So I just wanted to tell you guys and get your opinion.”

▲▲▲

“Do you hate me?” Scout asked her husband later that evening as they changed for bed.

Brandon looked up from the shirt he was about to put on and walked to the other side of the bed, pulling Scout into his arms, “No way baby, why would you think that?”

She shrugged her shoulders and moved away from her husband sliding into bed, “I feel like it's all my fault we can't actually have kids.”

“It's not your fault, okay? I don't want you to ever think or say that again, you understand me?” Brandon sighed. He had not realized just how hard Scout was taking the whole situation. He had assumed since she wanted to adopt and move on from their problem that she was alright. Just another thing to add to the list of things men will never understand about women, “Besides, I thought you okay with whats going on. You seemed perfectly fine this morning and I thought the adoption is what you wanted. I mean, I am really proud of you. ”

“Excuses,” She mumbled resting her head on her husband's best as he crawled in beside her, not even bothering to put on his shirt, “A million excuses. I'm so upset and disappointed in what's going on. I feel like your disappointed in me. I just.. I thought if I made up a bunch of excuses, no one would baby me or give me pity all the time. I want to experience everything a pregnant woman would get to.. morning sickness, swelling belly, everything- but I can't.”

Brandon tucked a piece of hair behind Scout's ear and pulled her close, “You could never disappoint me. For all that we've been through, you never cease to amaze me. You are the strongest most determine person I know. Deep down inside, I believe what is meant to happen in our future will happen, whether it be we adopt or find some other sort of alternative. I love you Scout Dubinsky, to the moon and back a thousand times.”

Scout giggled and pressed her lips to her husbands, “Of all the fish in the sea, to think you picked me.”

▲▲▲

The day Scout and Brandon Dubinsky found out they would be expecting was the day the world stood still. Never in a million years did Scout think she would be one day conceiving a child. She called up her husband even though he was away in Vancouver and left an excited voice-mail on his cell phone. When Mr. Dubinsky arrived home early the next morning, Scout was awake and waiting for him in their bed. She clutched onto the positive pregnancy tests as if she was going to lose the baby if she let go.

Six month pregnant Scout Dubinsky and her husband walked into the Del Zotto's house hand in hand. Already tired from walking up a single flight of stairs, Scout found a comfortable spot on the couch beside Leslie. About an hour or so after arriving, Brandon had finished mingling and joined his wife on the couch. He gently palmed her swollen belly. “Hi baby.” He whispered softly to his unborn child, “I love you so much. Me and mommy can't wait for you to get here. Its going to be hard and your going to make me work a lot so I can spoil you and mommy all the time.”

Scout giggled as her husband went on to continue talking to their soon to be son.

“I can't wait for you to start playing hockey and all the possibilities for an awesome future. I'm so happy your in mommy's belly right now. It was most luck that we get to have you and I guess our timing was pretty good too. Out of nowhere you will be coming into our life. I love you so much, I just haven't met you yet.”