Sequel: Dark Paradise ›
Pride
four.
Instead of a wild and crazy party as her last night as a single woman, Emma decided to have all her closest friends stay over in her hotel room. It was one big sleepover. Lizzie, Chay’s girlfriend, was braiding hair while Quinn ordered more champagne from room service. Everyone was on squeezed onto the plush king size bed with the bride-to-be’s favorite Harry Potter movie playing in the background.
“So are we going to be seeing baby Oshies anytime soon?” Quinn giggled filing her glass with the bubbly beverage.
Emma rolled her eyes, “Probably not for a while. Teej wants to wait for a few years, wait until we’re more settled or something.”
“Oh, baby Oshies! I like that idea.” Andrew MacWilliam’s girlfriend, Kelly, chimed in.
Lizzy nodded in agreement. Emma leaned back into a pile of pillows and smiled. She missed her Grand Forks friends after she left half way through her junior year to be with TJ in Saint Louis. Over her two and a half year stint in North Dakota, the brunette had made some very exceptional bonds with exceptional people. Looking back, they were the people that she would always cherish in her heart no matter what.
“Whenever baby Oshies happen, you guys will be the first to know..” Emma smiled.
Quinn raised her champagne fluke along side the rest of the Fighting Sioux ladies, “Until then... we drink!”
An eruption of cheers and giggling spread throughout the room. On the bedside table, an iPhone started vibrating wildly. Kelly picked it up and smirked, “Speak of the devil.. lover boy is calling you right now!”
Emma caught the phone and excused herself from the room. Shutting the door behind her drowned out the cat calls and whistling. “Hey baby, you okay?” Her face felt warm from even the slightest bit of alcohol in her system.
TJ nodded on the other end of the line, “Yeah, I just wanted to hear your voice.” he could practically see her blushing on her end of the call, “Listen, I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow, beautiful.”
“I love you too, Timmy.”
The hockey player hung up the phone and let out a heavy sigh. Returning from the hallway, his brother, Brandon, Evan, Jonathan, and several others were all waiting inside the hotel room celebrating their friend’s impending marriage with a variety of alcoholic beverages... this time all above the legal drinking age. “Who would have thought the great Osh has gone soft.” Brandon cooed.
“Fuck off, Brotha.” TJ ran a hand over his tired face and killed the rest of his beer.
Taylor sat up from his spot on the floor and pulled out his phone, “Yo, Kayla’s back in GF! Remember her?”
“You’d have to be dumb and blind to forget her, buddy!” Brandon pat TJ’s back, “What a fine lady she was.”
Jonathan couldn’t help but roll his eyes with disgust as TJ nodded in agreement, “Yeah, real ball buster. Sure did know how to have a good time..”
“Too bad you’re getting married tomorrow... I wouldn’t mind getting frisky with her one last time.” Evan commented as he refilled with glass.
“Mhm, too bad..” TJ muttered pulling his phone out of his pocket once more, “I’ll be right back. I’ll get more ice for the room.” He grabbed the empty ice bucket from beneath the drink cart and left the room.
The sun was shining brightly the next morning in Grand Forks. Birds were chirping and flowers were in full bloom. With not a single rain cloud in sight, it was a perfect day for a wedding. Emma bounced anxiously as she stood before a full length mirror. Quinn was doing a few finishing touches on her make-up when someone knocked on the dressing room door. The blonde jumped up to open the door to see Patrik Berglund on the other side.
“I have a gift for the bride from the groom.” He poked his head into the dressing room, “You look beautiful by the way, ladies.”
Quinn handed Patrik an envelope and a box, “For the groom from the bride.” She gave Pat a small wave before giving him a light shove out of the door. Returning to the group, Quinn handed Emma the envelope and poorly wrapped box. Carefully opening the package, Emma let out a soft gasp, “Oh my gosh!” Inside was a delicate gold chain bracelet linked together with an infinity sign.
On the other side of the church, TJ carefully opened the perfectly wrapped gift box. Inside was a snapback with the date of their wedding embroidered on the inside. TJ couldn’t help but smile; his love for those snapback baseball hats matched no other. Opening the envelope, TJ felt his heart pull at the warm and heartfelt message written within.
There was another soft knock on the door and in walked a very dapper looking Jonathan Toews. Quinn stopped by her boyfriend momentarily as the rest of the bridal party moved into the hallway to assume their positions for the start of the ceremony. Sentimental ‘I love yous’ were exchanged before Quinn joined the rest of the group.
Despite only being in North Dakota together for a year, Jonathan and Emma had created a very strong bond. He was one of TJ’s best friends and in return one of Emma’s. The three of them spent much of their free time together, more so after Emma and TJ got together. Just a year prior, when Emma’s father passed away, she knew Jonathan would be the one to walk her down the aisle. Jon was always looking out for her well being since the night they met at Chorney’s party.
“You look beautiful.” Jonathan admired.
Emma looked toward the young captain and smiled, “Thanks! Can you believe it, Jon... I’m finally getting married!”
Jon, living up to his serious nickname, let his smile falter, “Are you sure this is what you want to do? It’s not too late to back out?”
“When will yo ever drop it, Jon? TJ and I are very much i love. If you’re just going to criticize and question my decisions then you might as well leave. I’ll walk down that aisle alone if I have to.” Emma replied, trying to keep her anger at bay.
“I am happy for you! I just want you to be with someone who deserves and respects you.” Jon defended himself, “You know about Kayla, you know-”
Emma turned to Jon with pained eyes, “I love him, Jonathan Bryan, and he loves me. Now please, my husband is waiting at that alter.”
The ceremony was flawless. Aleah Rae was so excited to be the flower girl and stand by her new sister as the couple exchanged their vows. There was no hesitation saying ‘I Do’ and the crowed burst into applause as TJ pulled his wife into his arms and sealed the deal with a kiss.
“So are we going to be seeing baby Oshies anytime soon?” Quinn giggled filing her glass with the bubbly beverage.
Emma rolled her eyes, “Probably not for a while. Teej wants to wait for a few years, wait until we’re more settled or something.”
“Oh, baby Oshies! I like that idea.” Andrew MacWilliam’s girlfriend, Kelly, chimed in.
Lizzy nodded in agreement. Emma leaned back into a pile of pillows and smiled. She missed her Grand Forks friends after she left half way through her junior year to be with TJ in Saint Louis. Over her two and a half year stint in North Dakota, the brunette had made some very exceptional bonds with exceptional people. Looking back, they were the people that she would always cherish in her heart no matter what.
“Whenever baby Oshies happen, you guys will be the first to know..” Emma smiled.
Quinn raised her champagne fluke along side the rest of the Fighting Sioux ladies, “Until then... we drink!”
An eruption of cheers and giggling spread throughout the room. On the bedside table, an iPhone started vibrating wildly. Kelly picked it up and smirked, “Speak of the devil.. lover boy is calling you right now!”
Emma caught the phone and excused herself from the room. Shutting the door behind her drowned out the cat calls and whistling. “Hey baby, you okay?” Her face felt warm from even the slightest bit of alcohol in her system.
TJ nodded on the other end of the line, “Yeah, I just wanted to hear your voice.” he could practically see her blushing on her end of the call, “Listen, I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow, beautiful.”
“I love you too, Timmy.”
The hockey player hung up the phone and let out a heavy sigh. Returning from the hallway, his brother, Brandon, Evan, Jonathan, and several others were all waiting inside the hotel room celebrating their friend’s impending marriage with a variety of alcoholic beverages... this time all above the legal drinking age. “Who would have thought the great Osh has gone soft.” Brandon cooed.
“Fuck off, Brotha.” TJ ran a hand over his tired face and killed the rest of his beer.
Taylor sat up from his spot on the floor and pulled out his phone, “Yo, Kayla’s back in GF! Remember her?”
“You’d have to be dumb and blind to forget her, buddy!” Brandon pat TJ’s back, “What a fine lady she was.”
Jonathan couldn’t help but roll his eyes with disgust as TJ nodded in agreement, “Yeah, real ball buster. Sure did know how to have a good time..”
“Too bad you’re getting married tomorrow... I wouldn’t mind getting frisky with her one last time.” Evan commented as he refilled with glass.
“Mhm, too bad..” TJ muttered pulling his phone out of his pocket once more, “I’ll be right back. I’ll get more ice for the room.” He grabbed the empty ice bucket from beneath the drink cart and left the room.
The sun was shining brightly the next morning in Grand Forks. Birds were chirping and flowers were in full bloom. With not a single rain cloud in sight, it was a perfect day for a wedding. Emma bounced anxiously as she stood before a full length mirror. Quinn was doing a few finishing touches on her make-up when someone knocked on the dressing room door. The blonde jumped up to open the door to see Patrik Berglund on the other side.
“I have a gift for the bride from the groom.” He poked his head into the dressing room, “You look beautiful by the way, ladies.”
Quinn handed Patrik an envelope and a box, “For the groom from the bride.” She gave Pat a small wave before giving him a light shove out of the door. Returning to the group, Quinn handed Emma the envelope and poorly wrapped box. Carefully opening the package, Emma let out a soft gasp, “Oh my gosh!” Inside was a delicate gold chain bracelet linked together with an infinity sign.
On the other side of the church, TJ carefully opened the perfectly wrapped gift box. Inside was a snapback with the date of their wedding embroidered on the inside. TJ couldn’t help but smile; his love for those snapback baseball hats matched no other. Opening the envelope, TJ felt his heart pull at the warm and heartfelt message written within.
There was another soft knock on the door and in walked a very dapper looking Jonathan Toews. Quinn stopped by her boyfriend momentarily as the rest of the bridal party moved into the hallway to assume their positions for the start of the ceremony. Sentimental ‘I love yous’ were exchanged before Quinn joined the rest of the group.
Despite only being in North Dakota together for a year, Jonathan and Emma had created a very strong bond. He was one of TJ’s best friends and in return one of Emma’s. The three of them spent much of their free time together, more so after Emma and TJ got together. Just a year prior, when Emma’s father passed away, she knew Jonathan would be the one to walk her down the aisle. Jon was always looking out for her well being since the night they met at Chorney’s party.
“You look beautiful.” Jonathan admired.
Emma looked toward the young captain and smiled, “Thanks! Can you believe it, Jon... I’m finally getting married!”
Jon, living up to his serious nickname, let his smile falter, “Are you sure this is what you want to do? It’s not too late to back out?”
“When will yo ever drop it, Jon? TJ and I are very much i love. If you’re just going to criticize and question my decisions then you might as well leave. I’ll walk down that aisle alone if I have to.” Emma replied, trying to keep her anger at bay.
“I am happy for you! I just want you to be with someone who deserves and respects you.” Jon defended himself, “You know about Kayla, you know-”
Emma turned to Jon with pained eyes, “I love him, Jonathan Bryan, and he loves me. Now please, my husband is waiting at that alter.”
The ceremony was flawless. Aleah Rae was so excited to be the flower girl and stand by her new sister as the couple exchanged their vows. There was no hesitation saying ‘I Do’ and the crowed burst into applause as TJ pulled his wife into his arms and sealed the deal with a kiss.