Big Girl Panties

“Go home, Trixie.”

Grabbing her husband’s equipment bag from the pile which had just been rolled in to the Blackhawks locker room, she was taken by surprise by Troy’s statement. She wanted to unload the truck, spend the next three hours getting the locker room ready for the first playoff game of the season and then slide into bed beside Dan and sleep for the next eighteen hours. But, it had been a beyond long last twenty four hours and the prospect of going home early did sound rather enticing.

Tossing Dan’s bag in front of his cubby, she rubbed her sore and tender lower back. The entire flight back to Chicago, she could feel the painful kicking the baby had been giving her kidney again. It didn’t matter if she went home early she still wouldn’t be getting hardly any sleep.

“You sure? I don’t mind sticking around.”

“Go home.”

Deciding it would be best to follow the order from her boss; Trixie grabbed her sweatshirt and bags before bidding the staff a goodnight as heading out to her car. It was an uncomfortable drive back to her condo where she on the whim decided to spend the night alone. Her tossing and turning would keep Dan up and after a long game she knew he wouldn’t appreciate being woken up every hour.

Sliding her key out of the deadbolt, Trixie tossed her keys on the small table beside the door and flipped the lights on as she thumbed through her mail. The silence of her condo was something she had learned to no longer enjoy. She wanted to hear the sound of Chief’s paws on the hardwood floor and the roar of Dan’s snoring from the bedroom or at least the hum of the television which he often fell asleep in front of. She wanted to slip off her sweatpants and sweatshirt and climb in to the warm bed with her husband and slip in to the warm depths of his arms as they held her securely and tight. But, most of all, Trixie wanted to feel the overall feeling of happiness and belonging she always felt by just simply being in his presence.

Dropping her duffle on the floor without a second thought, Trixie grabbed her keys, flipped the lights back off and locked up her door before heading to the elevator. Rubbing her belly as she stood along in the descending elevator, she whispered, “I know, I want to see daddy, too.”

As expected, Dan’s condo was dark and silent when she snuck in. Kicking off her shoes, Trixie went straight to his room where she found him sound asleep in bed, with the blankets tangled around his legs and television illuminating the room. Had he known she would be spending the night, Dan would have waited up for his wife to make sure she made it safely. Stripping from her clothes and shimming into a pair of Dan’s boxers and a Van Halen tee, Trixie crawled in bed beside him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Running her fingers through his growing locks, Trixie placed a kiss to his jaw before settling down for a much needed night’s sleep.



Sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her dresser, Trixie hummed the familiar tune of ‘Chelsea Dagger’ to herself as she neatly folded the rest of the clothing left in her dresser. She would have to stop ever fifteen minutes or so and shake the pins and needles feeling from her legs and stretch out her aching back. Dan had been at his condo all day with Andrew and Bryan, boxing up the approved items in preparation for the big move into their house the following morning. Just as Trixie had made Dan get rid of the junk he didn’t need to move, she had done the same and boxed up her belongings with Jonathan and Patrick.

From the kitchen where they rolled her glassware in newspaper, she could hear and feel the boom of the bass from the music they were blaring though her docking station. She was thankful at that moment for all the condos in the building for being sound proof.

Neither she nor Dan saw much of each other all that day. They shared a quick breakfast and a shower before Trixie met Jon at Pat at her condo. They hadn’t told anyone about the fact they gotten married three days ago, and it was mutual decision that they would tell the four teammates which were helping them pack and move the news when Dan and Andrew and Bryan arrived at Trixie’s with Chinese food.

Both Trixie and Dan lived simple lives so it wasn’t a surprised as all their possessions were packed up in a matter of twelve hours. It was hard for Trixie to pack up her life in boxes as she reminisced on the years she had spent there. For her first place on her own, she had made the place rather comfortable for the small space that it was and somehow managed to throw some of the most raging and awesome parties Patrick Kane had admitted to ever being invited to.

She rubbed her hand against the much faded purple stain on the carpet beside her bed and smiled, remembering just how pissed off she had been when Patrick spilled his glass of sangria as he passed out on her bed. Now, the night he had spent asleep in her bed dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts with drool pooled around his open mouth was a memory which always gave Trixie a laugh. But, no longer was it the memory she would always associate this condo with; it was the memory of spending the week of Christmas and New Years in bed with Daniel as they conceived the greatest gift that would ever bless their lives.

“Trixie!” She heard Dan call out. “Come eat.”

Hoisting herself up, Trixie rested her hands against the small of her back as she walked down the short hallways and found Dan unloading the bags from their favorite Chinese takeout restaurant. Dan handed Trixie her two containers containing orange chicken and veggie fried rice only after she gave him a kiss. As her kitchen table, chairs and barstools and sofa had already been brought over to the new house, the six friends sat on floor around the coffee table. Laughing and telling jokes, reminding each other of the memories of both Dan’s and Trixie’s apartment. Andrew let a few stories slip that Trixie clearly didn’t appreciate. Most of them involving drunken female fans who had passed out on his couch before they had a change to engage in any sexual contact.

Stealing a forkful of Dan’s lo mein, Trixie shook her head as she decided it was time to change the subject.

“So, I…well, we, have something’s to tell you guys.”

“Oh, my god! You’re pregnant!” Andrew Shaw exclaimed excitedly in a joking tone.

The snickers of Bryan, Jonathan and Patrick filled the room over the hushed volume of the music. Trixie always enjoyed Andrew’s sense of humor. Deciding not lead in with the announcement of their marriage just yet, Trixie decided to deliver the biggest blow first.

“After you guys finish playing Minnesota, I’m done for the season. And, I won’t be coming back until the 2014 season.”

Dan gave Trixie’s knee a squeeze as the three men ceased chewing and swallowed their food.

“We’re gonna miss the hell out of you, Trixie. But, I think I not only speak for myself but also the entire team when I say you’re making a smart decision.” Captain Serious suddenly turned in to Captain Sentimental. Trixie blinked several tears back as she was surprised none of them had made a bigger deal out of her leaving.

A giant smile crept across Dan’s lips as he looked at Trixie. He was growing antsy to tell them about the past day’s events. “We got married!”

The mouthful of rice Bryan had shoved in fell out and littered his shirt, Jonathan’s eyes bugged and Andrew busted out with laughter.

“I’m sorry, I think I hallucinated.” Patrick scratched the top of his head. “It sounded like Dan just said you two got married.”

Trixie went to steal another forkful of Dan’s lo mein he just handed the entire container to her, taking her fried rice for himself. “We did. Legally, I am now Mrs. Laura Beatrix Carcillo.”

Ignoring the statement Trixie had just made, Shaw cocked his head to the side seeming rather confused. “Your name is Laura? Why do we call you Trixie?” He was more concerned over her name.

“Laura is too plain for a girl like her.” Bickell explained. “Trixie is more colorful and fun and it’s short for her middle name…Beatrix, Trixie.”

Putting his white containers on the table, Patrick brought himself to his feet and reached out his hand to Trixie to help her to her feet. Once she was standing, Patrick pulled her into a tight hug, bringing her body as close to his as her belly would let him.

“You did it.” He whispered. “You took that leap and I couldn’t be any more proud of you.”

Bryan stood to his feel as well with Andrew, Jonathan and Dan following. He raised his beer bottle and smiled to the couple, thinking of his own upcoming nuptials. “To Carbomb and Trix.”

They all toasted the couple’s marriage all having a feeling that this was one of the NHL marriages that would last. Jonathan had always had a feeling she and Dan would somehow and someway end up together and he could only mentally laugh at the times Dan had to defend his feelings of not liking Trixie that way whenever someone brought up the idea of the two going out on a date. As it turns out, the two had been hopeless in love with each other for the last two years and it took a positive pregnancy test to finally bring them together.

Patrick so desperately wished Trixie wasn’t leaving the team after they finished off the Wild—and he knew they would—and continued to be his one of his biggest supporters behind the bench. However, she was only taking the advice he had given her, the big girl panties were on and she was diving head first into motherhood. He would only hope that now that she had a husband, that she wouldn’t change too much once the baby was born.

“Have you thought of any names yet?” Shaw asked. He had his hand placed on Trixie’s belly as he felt the strong kick from her inside.

“We’ve tossed a few around.” Dan answered.

“Well, Patrick and I were tossing names around as well, and, we have the perfect name.” Andrew wiggled his eyebrows.

Patrick cleared his throat. “Jack Daniel Carcillo.”

Cocking his head, Daniel looked at Trixie, who shook her head. “No, we are not naming our son after whiskey and I know you’re going to pitch it as naming him after my father and yourself.”

“It’s starting already.” Jon joked. “Three days into marriage and she’s already crushing your hopes and dreams.”