Everyday I Think Of You

“Hey, Abbs, where’s Pat?” I asked at five in the morning. We were leaving to drive up to Winnipeg together where Jon and Jackie were hosting this summer’s team bash next week.

“I told him, he’s pretty upset. Here I was thinking that everything would be fine and dandy, that he would be excited, but now he’s all depressed. I have no idea why. He won’t tell me anything!” she started to cry and I wrapped her in a hug. I sent Corey in to get Pat and the kids. I led Abby to my van and put her in the front seat.

“Abby, I’m sure he’s just surprised. But just to be on the safe side, we will let the guys start in your van and I’ll be in mine with you, okay?”

“No, you need to ride with Pat, find out what’s wrong with him. I’ll ride with Corey, no big deal,” she was starting to wipe up her tears.

“If that’s what you want, then I’ll do it for you. I’m going to make sure your kids get buckled in, Corey will be over as soon as your van is ready, alright?”

“Thanks, Soph.”

“You’re welcome, Abby. Now why don’t you go to bed, use my pillow, do whatever.”

“Okay, I’ll watch out for Ava.”

“Okay, get some sleep. See you in a few hours,” I shut her door and went and got the baby to put into his seat. Once he was strapped in, Jr. hopped into the van and buckled himself in. I hoisted the only girl into her seat and then stood outside the vans with the guys.

“Abby’s pretty upset, huh?” my husband asked stupidly.

“Of course she is! Her dumbass husband started to act all depressed since she told him about the baby,” I was trying to yell as quietly as I could so that the kids wouldn’t hear or Abby for that matter.

“Well, I’m going to go and we should let you two discuss this on the road, or we will never get there,” Corey stated. I agreed and got into the Sharp van.

“Soph, it wasn’t that I was depressed. It was that it finally hit me. This is the last baby we will have because there’s no way that I can watch her get pregnant by another guy again. It’s really tough, to know your wife isn’t having your baby.”

“I think you need to see a doctor, make sure that you really are, Pat. What if that one doctor made a mistake six months ago? She could be having your child.”

“What’s the normal time it takes for you to realize you’re pregnant after conception, Soph?”

“Anywhere from one week to three or four. But depending on her birth control cycle, it could’ve been longer.”

“Soph, we haven’t done anything since March.”

“So, what you are telling me is that unless she is three, almost four months along, you can’t be the father.”

“Basically, yes. I’ve gone through my entire recollection and I know that was the last time. Sure, after we won the cup, but that was only two weeks ago and she told you the day you came back from your honeymoon.”

“Pat, I’m really sorry. I had no idea. Do you want me to ask her or are you going to do it?”

“I know I should, but I just can’t. I can’t do it, Soph.”

“Okay, when we get to Winnipeg, I’ll ask her. What are you going to do based on her answer?”

“I’ll suggest counseling, try to work through it. We have three children together, I hope, so I just can’t leave. And that’s bad for the team, for Abby, and most of all my kids.”

“I’m really sorry, Pat.”

“I know, but it isn’t your fault, Sophie. She’s a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”

“But I’m her best friend; I just thought she would tell me something like this.”

“I’m her husband; wouldn’t you think I’d like to be the first one to know?”

“Daddy, why are you yelling at Aunt Sophie?” Jr. asked his dad.

“Sorry, buddy, I thought you were asleep.”

“No, why are you yelling at Aunt Sophie?”

“He wasn’t yelling at me, sweetheart, we were just talking. I promise,” I said as I turned to face the young three year old.

“Are you sure?” he whispered to me.

“Yeah,” I whispered back. He nodded and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Soph. I’m out of line.”

“Don’t worry about me. Focus on the road and just wake me up when you need to change drivers.”