Sequel: My Own Glory
Status: Completed- So go read the sequal!! Please! :)

Just One Cup

Eight Years Later

July 2023

The beautiful summer day allowed me to open every curtain in the house, letting the sun shine through. Liam and Aiden were playing outside with Sidney in the pool. The sounds of splashing and laughing traveled into the kitchen, making me smile as I fed Owen James. Owen was born two years ago, adding to the testosterone that was slowly taking over my home. Owen looked just like his brothers and father so of course my mother reminded me of how good looking he'll be when he's older...oh joy.

Life in the Crosby household was nothing but consistent. There was always something to do, on a certain day, at a specific time, with whoever was suppose to be there.

Sidney was still playing with the Penguins as captain. The thought of retirement was tossed around on different occasions, but he was still young and managed to stay as healthy as one can in the game of hockey.

Liam and Aiden were both active in sports; Liam in hockey, and Aiden in baseball. Aiden hadn't really taken as much of a liking to the Canadian sport as his father and brother but didn't mind tossing a baseball around. Both were on their own teams and playing in different parts of the year. Liam was a center just like his father. Aiden was a pitcher for a little league team. They excelled in their sports and couldn't make me more proud to call them my sons.

Then there's Maddi...Oh Madison. She's grown up so much in the past years, and what interesting years they have been!

It had started when Maddi was just in middle school. She was playing hockey on a travel team, playing a couple games at a local arena. It was the end of the season when she and I were approached by an older gentleman. He explained that he had kept an eye on Maddi since last years championship run by Maddi's team, " I know she played on an all girls team but I think sh'es good enough to play on a boys team." Of course Maddi's eyes lit up while mine pictured just what exactly happens in men's hockey.

The mans name was Henry James, coach of a local high school men's hockey team. And he wanted my 14 year old goddaughter to play men's hockey...What was this guy on?

"This is a great opportunity for her, Danni." Sidney tried to reason that night.

"But she's not built to play with guys. She's small and boys are ruthless! Once they see her, they're going to go after her. I don't want Maddi to get hurt!"

"Tryouts don't start till October. She can start training with me and I can get Mike to help her out. I an't make her grow 6'2" and 200lbs but I can get her ready."
I sat on the bed defeated. I couldn't let anything happen to her but I'd be hurting her is I didn't give her the chance.

So in those next few days, Sidney talked to his trainers and worked something out so Maddi can work out with him all summer long.

I would watch from my kitchen window as Maddi practiced and practiced hockey out on the street. If she wasn't there, she was at the gym or rink with Sidney. By the time tryouts came around, she had built muscle and even a couple inches.

Maddi had described to me the days of tryouts as "tough" and "tiring" but Maddi made the varsity team as a freshman. My sons and I would go to every game, Sidney sometimes sneaking in when he could. In the beginning of the season, Maddi didn't play at all. Slowly she began to get a couple minutes of ice time and I know it was frustrating her. Sidney even offered to talk to the coach, "Thanks Sid, but I want to do this on my own." Sidney respected her decision and never brought it up again. I could tell Sidney was very proud of her and did everything he could to get her some ice time without crossing the line. Things like practicing stick handling skills in the basement, taking her to the rink for drills, even bringing in his friends to lend a hand.

The team had made it to playoffs and as if by destiny, the teams third line center was injured, giving Maddi the role to fill it. She played amazingly with the two guys on her line, you'd think they've been playing for years together. Her talent shocked many in the stands as they whispered about Maddi, "Where has she been all year? We could of used her!"

"She's like the female version of Crosby."
Sidney's smile after hearing that never left his face.

That same year, Lily's high school team went to States thanks to my little goddaughter, the third line back up, who scored a point in every playoff game.

Safe to say her sophomore year will be better now that a majority of the players have graduated.

"We're back!" My goddaughters voice called out, the sounds of three of girls and the rustle of bags.

"In here!" I replied. Four girls walked into my kitchen, their arms filled with shopping bags, "Did you buy the mall?"

"No, we just got a couple things." Maddi replied.

"Hey Mrs. C. How's it going?" Tina, a pretty blonde, asked.

"It's going good. How are you girls?"

Tina, Sarah, and Mary were not the first type of girls I pictured Maddi introducing me too. All three pretty in a natural way, and none of them were hockey fans.

The girls all answered the same, "What are your plans now?"

"We were gonna go swimming." Maddi informed me.

"Sid and the boys are there now." I noticed the smiles on all three of Maddi's friends at the mention of Sidney. It was no surprise to any of us that Sidney would gain a few followers but in this situation, it wasn't because he was a hockey player.

"Okay, we're gonna go change."

I finished feeding Owen and cleaned up before I went out the back doors, finding my two sons trying to drown their father, "What's going on out here?" I asked, Owen on my right hip.

The three boys stopped and looked up, all with guilty looks on their faces, "Nothing."

"Right, well boys it's time for lunch. Let's go." The word 'lunch' brought smiles to each face as they raced out of the pool to dry off. Liam and Aiden grabbing two towels off the patio chairs, leaving Sidney to the child-sized Spiderman towel. He dried himself off best he could before taking Owen in his arms, causing his son to laugh.

"Maddi back?" He asked, pecking my lips.

"Yup, and she brought the fan club." Sidney rolled his eyes at my teasing.

Inside, Liam and Aiden bounced on two of the bar stools in our kitchen. Sidney took Owen up for a nap while I tended to the monsters waiting for the food, "Alright boys, what'll you have?"

"Sammich!" They both yelled.

"I want what dad's getting." Liam claimed.

"Me too!"

"I'm not sure what dad wants so how 'bout I make ham and turkey with some cheese?" Both nodded.

"Is dad gonna eat?" Aiden asked, noticing that his father never came back.

"Yes, unless he fell asleep putting Owen down for a nap." They giggled knowing just as well as I did that their father loved to sleep.

"What's so funny?" Sidney questioned, his sons laughing harder, "Are they laughing at me?"

"No we're laughing with you!" Liam came back with. Sidney ruffled his sons hair then came to my side to start making his own lunch.

"Owen went down fine?"

"Yeah, I almost fell asleep trying to get him down." Liam and Aiden snickered.

A flip flop sound traveled down the stairs and into the kitchen. Maddi and her friends all dressed in bikinis and sunglasses, towels over their arms, "You girls want anything to eat?" I asked, cutting Liam's sandwich.

"We ate at the mall. Is it alright if they stay the night?"

"We'd love to have you." All four girls smiled and headed for the pool.

"Hi Mr. C." Maddi's friends said as they passed by Sidney. When I looked at him, he had this hard, confused face, "Sid?"

"When did Maddi get a bikini?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. She must of bought it today. It's cute."

"I'm not sure I want her wear--"

"She's 16. She looks good in it."

"That's what I'm worried about." He mumbled. I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry about it, Sid. There aren't any boys."

"Except Dylan next door." Liam added with a mouth full of food.

"We've got a fence. If that boy climbs over it, he's got guts."

"I knew we should of invested in the electrical fence."

Maddi growing up was tough on Sidney. Since he wasn't around much when Taylor got older, he was new to this with Maddi. I don't know how he over looked the men's hockey team she plays on, but the bikini is the one that throws up the red flag?

Maddi had changed a lot going in high school. Her friends when she was younger were mostly the girls on her travel team and most of them didn't go to the same school. In high school, we never heard of other friends until the end of the year. That's when Tine, Sarah, and Mary showed up on my door step. Maddi told me she invited some friends over but I wasn't expecting these three. They are the complete opposite of Maddi but they got along as if they were friends for years.

Maddi's image completely changed as well. From tee shirts and sweats to flowly tops and skinny jeans, she was almost a different person. She wore make-up more often and would style her hair in different fashions.

She was growing up and coming out of her shell yet she kept that personality that made her different from everyone else. It was the same personality that made her mother stand out among the crowds so you can only imagine when Maddi got older and looked more and more like her mom, I had to wipe away those ridiculous tears and try not to hug Maddi every time I saw her, "Aunt Danni...what are you doing? She'd say.

"I just love you so much." Sooner or later she figured it out and just like Addie, found a way to duck and cover.

"Are they gonna stay in my room?" Liam asked. Aiden's eyes popped out of his head at the thought.

"No, they'll stay in Maddi's room." My sons relaxed.

"Can we go back outside?" I looked down and the sandwiches I just made were gone.

"Sure, just don't bother the girls." They jumped off their chairs and sprinted for the back door. The yelling from my sons was drowned by a giant splash and the cries of four teenagers. I looked out the glass sliding doors to see Maddi and her friends drying themselves off as my boys laughed.

Sidney was leaning against the counter, keeping himself from falling to the floor, he was laughing so hard.

"They are your sons." I told him, picking up the dirty dishes.

"I'm pretty sure they're yours too. You were there for that part." Sid said once he could breathe again.

"I don't know what you're talking about. They look AND act like you. I'm starting to think I wasn't there for any of it."

"Oh no, I remember you being there from the beginning," He came up behind me resting his chin on my shoulder, "And I'm still sore from your death grip." He flexed his right hand, the same hand that held mine during the three births of our beautiful sons.

"You're the one that decided to have twins." I pointed out.

"And you've done an amazing job raising them, and Owen and Maddi. You are an amazing mother." He replied leaving trail of kisses up my neck. I set down the plate in my hands.

"...What do you want, Sidney?"

"I was just thinking...maybe we could--"

"Have another baby?" I finished, turning to face him.

"Yeah and maybe...we can try for a girl."

Sidney loves Maddi, more than anything, but I knew deep down he wanted a daughter of his own. He wanted a baby girl to spoil, to keep boys away from her, to treat like a princess. He treated Maddi the same way but missed the first three years of that process. I'll be honest, I wanted a daughter of my own. My prayers were answered when Maddi became officially mine, but she was bound for college in a few years leaving me in a house of men. The presence of a daughter would fill that void.

Having Owen two years ago, I thought that would be it, never really thinking about more kids. I could just picture my baby girl dressed in every shade of pink, a true princess. She'd be loved just as much as Maddi was when Sidney and the team came into the picture.

"Give me a couple years and we'll see how everything is." Sidney beamed, his hands cupping my face.

"Maybe we can start now." I put my hand up to stop him from kissing me.

"A couple years."

"Fine...a couple years." He kissed my palm before sliding his hand in mine and kissing my lips.

---------------------------------

"Your aunt and uncle are the perfect couple I've ever seen."

"Will you get away from the window. That's creepy." I said to Tina.

"Maddi, look at them! I want what they've got!" Sarah, Mary, and I looked out the window where the pool lights reflected in the dark night. Aunt Danni and Sidney were holding on to each other, both with smiles on their faces as they talked quietly. When Sidney leaned in and kiss his wife, I closed the curtains and pushed the girls away from the window, "We do not want to see that."

"Your aunt is so lucky! I want to find a Sidney." Sarah sighed as she sat down on the bed.

"Wait a couple years and the boys will be 18 soon."

"I can't wait that long!"

"Maybe Maddi can introduce you to one of the guys on the team." Tine suggested.

"Oh no, you do not want them. They're idiots."

"What about the coach's son? What's his name? James? Jack?"

"Jeremy. His name is Jeremy." I answered.

"He's cute. And smart. He's in my math class and get's straight A's."

"He's really nice too," Mary added, "He helped me carry my books one time."

"Aren't you good friends with him, Maddi?" Sarah asked.

Jeremy and I are close friends, closer that I am with any of the other guys on the team. Jeremy was the only one on the team my freshman year to accept me and tell me I was good enough for the team, "Better than half the guys here. He had faith in me.

When Andy got hurt in the middle of playoffs, it was Jeremy's line I was put on. The two of us, plus Mark, were unstoppable. We racked up the points and became the heroes of the school.

Since then, Jeremy and I stayed friends. I had eventually got a crush on him, not that I would tell anyone about it. We're teammates, that just screams disaster.

"I heard that he had a little crush on you Maddi." Tina said with a wink. My ears perked up.

"Look at her! She just shit a brick with that news. Do you like Jeremy?" Mary asked.

"What? No! We're teammates! I can't like him!"

"And why not? You're smart and pretty, and you both like hockey! You're perfect! He's the Sidney to your Danni." I rolled my eyes.

"Because...we play on the same team. You don't think that would be weird?"

"Oh my god! You're just screaming for romantic movie material!" Mary squealed.

"You two would be so cute together!"

"Guys, I'm not gonna worry about. It might be just a rumor." I told them.

"Who knows? Maybe in two years when we're graduating he'll proclaim his love for you and you'll live happily ever after."
♠ ♠ ♠
There you have it, the final chapter. There will be a sequel so keep an eye out for that.

Thank you to everyone that's made this a success. I was worried it would go where but you all have brought it to where it is. I just upload the chapters haha.

Thanks again! I love you all!! <3