Ours

They lay there together for an hour, holding each other in the deepening twilight. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

Matt was the first to break the spell. “We’re going to be parents.”

“Yeah.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“I mean…wow.”

“Yeah!”

Matt sighed, but the sound was happy. He rolled over and placed his hand flat against Rory’s abdomen. “I can’t believe there’s a baby in there.”

“You and me both.”

“But are you sure? I mean, it’s so flat--”

“Matt, it takes time for a baby to grow!” Rory laughed, watching as he walked his fingers across her skin. “It’s like baking a cake. It has a set time, and then it’s done.” When Matt made a face, she laughed again. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best example. But you know what I mean.”

Matt shimmied down the bed, until his legs were hanging off the end and his head was pressed to her stomach. She ran her hands through his hair, smiling fondly as the strands fell through her fingers like silk.

He pressed his lips to the skin above the waistband of her jeans, murmuring softly, “I can’t wait to meet you.”

Emotions swamped Rory, breaking over her head like a wave. Excitement and fear were the most prevalent, but underneath them, there was a steady current of happiness and love. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I can’t believe we’re doing this.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then, from below, there came a shout.

“Rory, Matt! Dinner’s ready!”

Matt sighed again, sounding less than enthused. “I don’t know how I’m going to get through dinner without saying anything. I’m just so excited.”

Shit. Rory hadn’t even thought about that. She had already proved that she was capable of keeping a secret, but how was Matt going to survive? She sat up quickly, nearly sending Matt tumbling off the bed. She stood up, pulling him up as well, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Matt, we can’t say anything.”

“Not anything?”

She cupped his cheeks. “Nothing. We are going to keep our mouths shut until we go back to Pittsburgh. I’ll see my doctor, see what he says, and then we’ll tell our parents. Okay?”

Matt nodded. “Okay.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.”

She let go of him, taking a step back. “Okay. If you feel like you’re about to say something, just talk about hockey instead. All right?”

Matt held his hand up. “I’ll try.”

Still feeling guilty about the entire day’s events, Matt insisted on helping Rory get changed into something nicer for dinner, though after a few minutes of his fussing, she had to kick him out. She just needed a few minutes to breathe, to take in everything that had happened in the last couple of days.

Before he left, he stopped in the doorway and put one hand up to her cheek. “Thank you,” he said softly, trailing his thumb over her jaw.

“For what?”

“For picking me. For letting me in.” He leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “I love you, Rory. Probably more than you realize.”

She smiled and closed her eyes, her hormones pushing her too close to the surface. “Probably.” She watched him walk down the hallway, back to his own room. Sighing quietly, she closed the door.

She stood against it for a second, her back to the wood. She pressed a hand to her abdomen, cradling the bump that wasn’t there yet, but would arrive soon. It wasn’t what she thought she wanted. It wasn’t where she thought her life was going, but she knew better than anyone that plans changed, that sometimes love happened.

She looked down, brushing her fingers over the places Matt had, the places he’d kissed, his words still with her. “I can’t wait to meet you,” she repeated softly, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It’s you and me, kiddo. It’s us. Three of a kind.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and went hunting for her luggage. Brushing her hands through her limp curls, she settled for pulling them up into a ponytail. After changing into a more festive pair of socks to match Matt and touching up what little of her makeup she could, she went to join him.

He was standing at the top of the stairs, one hand on the banister. He turned to her, looking distracted.

“You okay?”

Matt nodded. “Yeah, I just thought I heard something, that’s all.” He reached for Rory’s hand, before smiling. “Ready?”

“Yep. Did your mom say what she was making? I got a glimpse earlier, but I wasn’t really paying attention…”

The two of them theorized all the way down the stairs, changing their guesses based on the heady scents wafting from the kitchen. Matt was telling her he thought maybe it was his mom’s amazing chicken parm, before he stopped dead outside the kitchen.

“What?” Rory asked. “What’s wrong?”

Matt frowned. “Where are my parents?”

“Uh, at the table, maybe?”

“No way. My mom never sits down until everybody else has. Come on.”

Clutching her hand, the two of them walked into the kitchen. The dishes Linda had cooked with were drying on the rack, and there were plates on every available counter space, including the little breakfast table. Matt’s scowl deepened when they stood behind the chairs, looking down at the various covered dishes and plates. There was so much food, Rory didn’t know how Linda expected them to eat it all.

“Oh god,” he muttered. “They didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

Before Matt could answer, the accordion door to their left opened, and there was a chorus of “SURPRISE!”

Rory and Matt turned almost simultaneously. There was a large crowd of people spilling out of the dining room she hadn’t even noticed before, and all of them were beaming and talking at once. Chuck and Linda were at the front of the group, Chuck laughing at the expression on their faces.

Rory leaned over, talking out of the corner of her mouth. “Who are all these people?”

“Uh. Some of my extended family.”

“Your--? Oh.” Shit.

“Yeah.”

Matt pasted a smile on his face and started making the rounds, hugging everyone. It didn’t take long for a couple of uncles to notice her, and before she knew it, she was being dragged over and introduced to everyone. Eventually she started smiling, trying her damnedest to remember their names, but internally, she was screaming.

How the hell is Matt going to keep quiet now?

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“So I told him, ‘There’s only one way to find out! Hand me that baton.’”

There was an uproar of laughter from down the table. Matt’s mom frowned into her wineglass, but everyone else seemed to be enjoying his girlfriend immensely.

Seated at their extended dining room table were three of Matt’s uncles, two aunts, four cousins roughly his age (three cousins-in-law), and two kids belonging to one of the cousins. Counting him, Rory, and his parents, there were eighteen of them crammed into the dining room, talking over each other like it was Thanksgiving and pretending not to stare at the beautiful, strange girl sitting in the middle of the table directly across from Matt.

He had to hand it to her, Rory was taking it all in like a champ. She had spent the duration of everyone being served explaining why she had a cut and a black eye, and that resulted in everyone laughing and making jokes at his expense. One of his uncles even asked how he’d gotten in the NHL in the first place. He just rolled his eyes. But once everyone started eating, it was back to normal…whatever that was. She had laughed at his uncles’ corny jokes, talked vacation spots with his cousins and, surprising him, helped one of the kids cut up their chicken. She did it all with a smile on her bruised face.

Everybody loved her. And even if his mom had her misgivings at first, he was sure she’d warm up to Rory. How could she not? He stared down the table, watching his mom chat with one of his cousins. She’s going to have your grandchild. He tried to send her a message with his mind, his insides throwing a party, but she didn’t turn.

“So, how did you two meet?” His cousin, Regina, asked. She pointed between the two of them with her fork.

Rory smiled. “We met here, actually, near Duluth. My father and I were doing a piece here over the summer, and he was fishing with his friends.”

Regina looked towards him, waiting for him to add to the story. Suddenly, he felt it, creeping up his throat -- word vomit. Rory had told him to talk about hockey. Okay, I can do that.

“Yeah, I was um…playing for the university then. With Mason Raymond, a good buddy of mine. He plays for Vancouver now, though.”

Rory narrowed her eyes at him across the table.

Regina looked confused, before nodding. “Um, yeah, that’s really cool, Matt. So it was like a summer romance?”

Everyone around them had started listening, eagerly awaiting the first chapter of their nearly six year story. Even his parents were waiting, his dad paused, fork hovering over his green beans.

Rory nodded. “Yep. Actually, I don’t think we liked each other at first very much, to be honest. See, I have this thing about boats; I get really nauseous and sea-sick. So I was on this boat in the middle of a lake with my family and--”

“So how about that Winter Classic? Uncle Dale, you catch it?” Desperation was making him stupid and his family was looking at him like he was crazy, but he couldn’t stop. “That save by Lundqvist on Briere’s breakaway was pretty awesome, right?”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Matt! Let Rory finish what she was saying.”

“Yeah, Matt,” Rory said, widening her eyes at him. “I think it can wait. Right?”

“Right.” He promptly shoveled a forkful of chicken and mashed potatoes in his mouth, so he was unable to speak. Still, he could hear the running dialogue in his head and he knew he wasn’t going to make it out of this room alive.

Rather than focusing on Rory, his mom was staring at him now, almost like she knew. Matt swallowed hard, the food practically sticking in his throat. She raised her eyebrows at him, her lips pressed together, unimpressed with how rude he was being. He could hear her voice in his head: Your father and I did not raise you that way, so smarten up, mister. He almost laughed out loud at that, at how she really had no idea, at how she’d look if he said something--

No, no, no. Don’t do that. Hockey. Sticks. Drills. Pucks. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, counting under his breath. You can do this.

Yet, when he opened his eyes, he knew it was all over. Rory was laughing, her hazel eyes sparkling, her smile lighting up the entire room. Even with her hair kind of messy and a black eye developing, she was still beautiful. Her expression was priceless. At just the sight of her, his resistance crumbled.

They were going to be parents. Matt knew he should have felt worried, but now that the shock was over, all he felt was an overwhelming joy. There was no one else he could see himself spending the rest of his life with, and if they started their family a little early, so what? Things happened all the time.

Being with Rory had been such a learning experience and he’d like to think he’d come a long way. After all, he realized love wasn’t easy. There were bumps, hurdles, pools of quicksand. It was a veritable obstacle course through a jungle, where your life is your prize. In five years together, they had fought, struggled, clashing together, each of them warring on separate sides, but he had learned they were always stronger together.

And we’ll be even stronger for the sake of our child. When she caught his gaze, smiling at him, he smiled back, hoping she could see it in his eyes. Sorry, Rory, but this is how it has to be. He’d never felt more sure of anything in his life.

“Rory’s pregnant.”

The entire table went dead silent. Rory’s smile instantly fell flat, becoming a glare.

“Matt!”

“And I’m going to ask her to marry me.” He reached for one of the plates in front of him. “Anyone want more green beans?”

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The silence was deafening. Everyone else seemed like they were still trying to process his first proclamation, much less the second one, but that’s where Rory’s head was stuck.

And I’m going to ask her to marry me.

She thought of the ice skating, of what he had been rambling about. Hockey. It was essentially their life together, the fabric that bound them, that decided what they did, where they went, and who they were. It was Matt’s dream they were living, and she loved every second of it, but there was a whole new part of it that she hadn’t even registered. Chemistry, partnerships, winning teams--she suddenly understood exactly what he had been talking about.

But that didn’t make her any happier in that moment, because he had just broken his first promise to her.

“You promised me that we would wait to tell everyone!”

“Why? Now’s as good a time as any. Look.” He gestured around the table, at his slowly recovering family. His dad had choked on a piece of chicken, and his mother looked like she was about to pass out.

She didn’t know what possessed her to do it, but in that moment, she was just so overwhelmed and confused, that she picked up her spoon, loaded it with a scoop of mashed potatoes, and sent it sailing directly at Matt’s chest.

He looked down at his chest, and then back up at her. The silence stretched on even further, until suddenly, one of Matt’s second cousins giggled. Then their sibling did the same, failing to stifle a snicker, tossing a handful of green beans across the table at a cousin. Their laughter grew louder, and suddenly, everyone had a rather wicked gleam in their eyes.

Linda stood. “Don’t you dare--”

Her words were cut off as suddenly the entire table exploded, Uncle Dale yelling, “FOOD FIGHT!” She was spattered with mashed potatoes and corn, and she quickly shrieked, sitting back down again.

Matt had spent a lot of years playing baseball, so he was loading up fastballs of chicken and mashed potatoes, throwing them at everyone nearby. A piece of sliced roast beef fell into Rory’s lap, smearing sauce all over her sweater, and a chunk of bread bounced off her head. Green beans whizzed in front of her face, trailed by chopped pieces of bacon and steamed vegetables, the kids finally getting rid of what they didn’t want. A glass somewhere down the table was hit by a roll, and it spun into several others, before they all fell on the floor and broke. The kids jumped up on their chairs, fingers sticky with macaroni and deviled eggs as they painted their faces with steak sauce and ketchup, fries sticking out of their hair like chopsticks.

Rice rained from the ceiling, falling into Rory’s hair, and she suddenly pushed back her chair. She couldn’t breathe.

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Matt heard the scrape of chair legs across the floor, and turned just in time to see Rory’s hair whip around the accordion door, and get a plate turned upside down on his head. Ducking down beneath the table, he crawled on his hands and knees, shoving aside chairs, coming out on the other side and jumping to his feet.

She’d gone out the sliding glass door, into his backyard. The little rink his father used to make for him every year was gone, but the tree he’d loved to climb was still there, its branches bare and spindly, looking half-dead. It was freezing outside, frost sparkling on the parched grass and his mother’s bushes, the moon turning everything to silver.

She was standing facing away from him, head bent, arms folded over her chest. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought she was crying.

“Rory, I’m sorry. I know you wanted to wait, but the moment just felt so right--”

“I got sauce on my sweater,” she said, sniffling. “And you were going to propose?” She spun around, glaring at him, eyes red. “Why? Why would you do that?”

“Rory, I--”

“If it’s because of the baby, you don’t have to! People have babies all the time without getting married. God, Matt, did you think that’s what I expected from you? Did I say something, or do something, to make you feel pressured?”

Matt suddenly laughed. He couldn’t help himself. It was all just so ridiculous, for her to blame herself for him wanting to propose. Like I didn’t love you enough to do it on my own. Once the laughter started, he couldn’t stop, wheezing hysterically, bent at the waist, eyes streaming.

“Matt, why are you laughing? This isn’t funny!”

“Rory,” Matt gasped. He straightened, wiping his eyes. “Do you know why I wanted to come on vacation here? Everyone else was going somewhere sunny, somewhere tropical, to get away from the winter, since it usually reminds us too much of our jobs. But I insisted on coming here. Didn’t you think that was strange?”

“No, because you said you wanted me to meet your parents…” She trailed off, her eyes widening. “Wait, are you telling me--”

“The entire purpose of this trip was for me to bring you to my hometown, introduce you to my parents, get the ring that my mother promised me I could have when I was a kid, and then propose to you with that ring. Is that so hard to believe?”

Slowly, she shook her head.

“The baby was honestly just a coincidence, a surprise that will make this even better.” He suddenly dropped down to one knee. “Five years is an awfully long time, especially by Minnesota standards, and I want to make all of this real.”

“Matt, it’s snowing, you’re going to freeze.” She was right; a light snow had begun to fall, but it just made everything feel more perfect.

“Then I’ll freeze. But first…” He reached into his pocket, pulling out the velvet box his mother had given him, opening it. The ring glittered in the moonlight.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously! Rory, I love you. I know marriage was never part of your plans, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re everything I want, you’re just--you’re everything. We’ve been through so much together that I feel like it’s time, but if we’re going to do this, I want to do it right. You deserve that much, and more.”

Rory inched closer, peering at the ring. It was a large diamond set in a woven silver cradle, several more diamonds encircling it and stretching down the band. It was an antique, with no equal anywhere else. “Oh my god, Matt, it’s beautiful.”

“It belonged to my grandmother. When she died, she left it for me in my mom’s care, and my mom told me that when I found the woman I was in love with, to ask for this ring.”

“And she actually let you have it, when she knew you were giving it to me?”

“Well, it is my ring. I can give it to anyone I want.” His voice lowered. “But I’m not. I’m giving it to you. So, without any further ado, Rory Imani Montgomery, will honor me by becoming my wife?”

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Rory watched Matt watching her. He looked exhausted and awful, covered in a splash of multi-colored sauces, corn stuck in his hair, but at the same time, he looked wonderful, like the same good ol’ boy he’d always been, wearing his flannel and his plain t-shirts. He was simple, in the most spectacular way, with the wavy dark hair he didn’t bother to style, and the dark eyes that crinkled at the corners when he laughed. She loved the way he smiled slowly when he was thinking, she loved the scar on his chin, she loved watching stupid movies late at night, when they were both tired and too delirious to find it anything but funny. There wasn’t a single thing she didn’t love about him, and he was offering her everything.

Honor me.

Five years. Five wonderful years was what they’d had together, infinitesimal in the grand scheme, the start of something great. Now, they had a baby and a ring between them, the starter kit for a wonderful life. But happiness didn’t come gift-wrapped, in velvet or in baby blankets, and she had to know that this wasn’t going to be the same old song she’d been hearing in the back of her mind since she was fourteen.

It’s time, Rory. Time to stop being scared.

She opened her eyes. “Yes. Because you’re right. We are going to do this, and we are not going to be my parents.” She sank down to her knees on the back patio as well, snow seeping into her jeans, soaking through. She didn’t even feel it. “Marry me, Matt.”

Matt’s face lit up, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I want a life together, Matt. I want to be your wife. I want you to come home to me after games and say dumb things, like call me your woman of the house, or your ball and chain, because that’s funny, that’s us. And I want you to help me raise this baby, and sing it to sleep with those horrible songs that you listen to all the time, and teach it to skate. I want to wear your jersey to the rink with a smile on my face because it isn’t just your name on the back, it’s my name, too.” She could barely speak, so excited. “Let’s do it.”

“Yes!” He took the box from her, taking the ring out and sliding it on her left ring finger, his hands shaking. “Rory, you make me--”

She cut him off, cupping his cheeks and kissing him fiercely. He was everything she had ever wanted, and finally, nothing was standing in their way.

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Breaking apart, Matt stood, pulling her to her feet with him. As the snow blanketed the ground around them, he spun her around in his arms, laughing and kissing her, unable to think beyond the happiness radiating from every part of him. There was a sudden sound beside them, like muffled cheering, and they slowed, both turning to look at the sliding glass door, arms wrapped around each other.

His entire family was crammed into the tiny kitchen, watching them, clapping and hollering and chanting their names. He saw his dad move through them, hoisting a bottle of champagne, and his mother stood among them, hands clasped, eyes teary, a huge smile on her face. He nodded at her, and she nodded back, blowing him a kiss. His dad popped the cork off the champagne and it ricocheted, hitting the overhead light, shattering the bulb. The kitchen suddenly went dark, and several people screamed.

Matt and Rory exchanged a glance. She was biting her lip, trying not to laugh.

“You know what?”

“Hm?”

He grinned. “I can’t wait to get back to Pittsburgh.”

This time, they both burst into laughter, looking back at the kitchen as the sliding door opened, spilling his relatives into the snow. He watched proudly as Rory immediately left him to show off the ring illuminating her left hand. His female cousins and aunts cooed and crowed, plugging her for wedding and baby shower details. Meanwhile, his uncles and his dad clapped him on the shoulder, telling him how much of a winner he’d found.

“I know,” was all he would say.

He watched as his mom approached Rory, both of them looking hesitant. Rory held her hand out to show her, but before she could react, Linda swept her into a hug and planted kisses on both of her cheeks. Rory even let her touch her abdomen, though she had no baby bump yet. They both were teary-eyed by the end of it.

Every now and again, she would hold the ring up to the light, gazing at her hand in wonder, in awe, and he would smile.

Eventually, Rory made her way back to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. “Everyone wants details now, but I told them we have to wait until we tell my family.” She waited a beat before grinning up at him. “You know now, of course, that my Uncle Ian is going to murder you. And that this means you’ll be related to Terry by marriage.”

Matt paled, remembering Rory’s uncle, the taciturn man with the skull tattoo, and his talkative son. Stars danced before his eyes. When he spoke, his voice cracked. “I can’t decide which one of those is more frightening.”

She laughed, and he couldn’t help the smile pulling at his lips.

Their life together wasn’t easy. Neither was hockey. There would always be scrapes, bruises, always someone bleeding for what they wanted. There would be highs just like there would be lows, there would be falls and fails, tears and trials. But amidst all the grind, all the tough schedules and tests of being new parents and marriage, there would be laughter, and there would be love.

And that was all he could ever ask for.