Love Never Felt So Good

It was a hot – almost unbearably hot August day, and Bailey felt like she was cooking inside. Closing up the doors and windows to the house and turning the air on, she drew the blinds, gave each of the dogs a bone to keep them occupied and she ran up the stairs.

Bypassing the master bedroom, she went as far down the hall as possible to the guest room that was never used unless Taylor came by for a weekend. She closed the bedroom door behind her and walked to the en suite, reaching into the cabinet under the sink and pulled out three boxes.

First Response, e.p.t and Clearblue. She needed to be entirely, crystal clear before she told Sidney.

They had only been married for two months and she had never been happier. But lately, she had been waking up groggy even after a full night’s rest, her breasts were tender and she hadn’t gotten her period since the week before her wedding. These were the fourth, fifth and sixth tests she would take. The first three of different brands were all positive.

She had exactly two hours until Sidney was going to be home from a workout session with some of his teammates and a meeting with Kadar. After carefully following the instructions, she lined the tests up on the counter of the sink, playing a game of Fruit Ninja on her phone to keep her mind busy as the minutes passed.

Finally, when it was two-fifteen on the dot, she pulled the tests down from the counter and into her hand. Positive, positive, pregnant. A little smile pulled at her lips. Six tests couldn’t be wrong.

But to be even more careful, her next step was to schedule a doctor’s appointment – under a different name. She would be finding out definitively by tomorrow at noon.

Now, she wanted to wanted to plan exactly how she was going to tell her husband.

“Bails?” He called. He was home early. She quickly stashed the materials back into the sink cabinet, tip-toeing out of the room to make sure he didn’t hear her coming out of the spare room. “Mrs. Crosby! Where are you?” He sang, making her smile. She skipped down the stairs, smiling happily as she found him in the family room.

“Hello Mr. Crosby.” She said, cut off by her own scream as he lifted her into his arms, carrying her under her back and knees like a little baby.

“Hi there, Mrs. Crosby.” He replied. “How has your day been?” He asked.

“I woke up way too early to take a conference call at seven in the morning, took the pups for a walk, unsuccessfully tried to think of something to make for dinner and painted my nails.” She wiggled her fingers, showing off the light pink polish.

“Wow, sounds like an exciting day.” He grinned, making her roll her eyes.

“Ya know, someone has to do it.” She said seriously. “How was the gym, getting’ swole?” She asked, squeezing his bicep.

“So swole.” He nodded, setting her back down on her feet. “It is like a hundred degrees outside.” He added, it’s fricken awful.”

“It is, the dogs took a dip in the pool for a little bit to help them cool off and I put some ice in their water dishes. You know Belle doesn’t do well in the heat.” She spoke of the pug.

“I’ll put a fan down by their beds.” He nodded. “Do you want to meet for lunch tomorrow? We have a short work out and I should be done by one.” He said, following her into the kitchen where she grabbed a carton of strawberries before turning and walking to the pantry, reaching for her Nutella that she hid behind a box of Kashi Smart Start.

“Yeah, that should work. I have to run by the studio at eleven, but I don’t think it should take that long.” She bit her lip as she lied.

“Gimme one.” He said, opening his mouth like a little bird.

“Can’t.” She said, giving him a pointed look. Two weeks earlier, he let he know that he was starting his pre-season diet, and even when he asked, she shouldn’t let him eat any junk food. Nutella fell under his categorization of junk food. She screwed the lid shut

“Just one.” He insisted, inching around the side of the kitchen island where she stood. “If yo have more, you’re going to ruin your dinner.” He tried.

“Yeah right, Crosby.” She said, inching away from him.

“I just want one little strawberry with like a hint of Nutella.” He said, borderline whining.

“Take one more step, Crosby, I dare you.” She warned, picking up the jar of Nutella, never breaking eye contact. “You’re not allowed Nutella.” She said.

“You look nervous, Crosby.” He smiled, “like maybe you know you can’t outrun me.” He added. She glanced over to the family room, knowing she had a clear path to the patio door and he’d still have to corner the kitchen island to catch up.

“I’m faster than you, Crosby!” She laughed, taking off through the kitchen and into the family room, having just enough time to fling the patio door open, the dogs now chasing her as she ran into the backyard.

“Give me the Nutella!” Sidney laughed as he chased her around the tree in the backyard near the back left corner of the fence.

“It’s mine!” She called, cradling it to her chest and breaking left and right, dodging his grabby hands. She deked left and ran right, screaming as he chased her, holding her little jar of Nutella like a football. He finally caught up with her just before she considered throwing herself into the pool.

“Hand it over, Sherriff.” He smiled victoriously.

“You’re going to get fat! And slow! And I’ll have to push you around in a wheelbarrow on the ice!” She squealed as he lifted her off of her feet in attempts to get the jar.

“No!” He groaned as she tossed the jar into the deep end of the pool. His shoulders slumped as he turned to look at her. “Thanks, I needed that.” He said, letting his head fall forward to rest on her shoulder.

“I will do the Nutella-eating in this relationship.” She assured him. “And I’ll hide it better next time.” She grinned.

“Sushi sound good for dinner?” He asked. She thought twice.

“How about pasta, carbo load?” She suggested, not wanting to give away that she was weary of eating raw fish.

“I’ll order.” He kissed her.

“I’ll fish the Nutella out of the pool.”

- - -

“Looks like you are about seven weeks.” The ultrasound technician smiled as she showed Bailey the little bubble of a baby on the foggy screen. After the pregnancy was confirmed at her doctor’s appointment, they offered to squeeze her in for a quick ultrasound.

Bailey was smiling so widely, she thought her ears may pop off.

“Would you like a print?” She asked, to which Bailey nodded. Not half an hour later, she was back at home after stopping at McDonald’s for a smoothie and a large fry. Today, she was going to tell Sidney and she knew exactly how she was going to do it.

She still had half an hour until she was going to meet him for lunch, so she had enough time to carry out her plan before leaving the house. Settling into his office, she grabbed a box of stationary she kept on the bookshelf, looking for a specific card.

It was a formal looing pre-made invitation, the kind she had used for a formal New Year’s Eve party a few years ago where you simply had to fill out the categories of who, where, what and when. The matte silver envelope and bow that fastened outside of the envelope made it look almost like a wedding invitation.

Grabbing a black fountain pen that was mostly for show, but that Sidney had used to sign his contract with the Penguins, she very carefully filled out the intricate invitation.

You are cordially invited to:
The birth of Baby Crosby

On the date of:
March, 2016

Held at:
Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital

By your host:
Mommy and Daddy Crosby

With all due consideration, please bring:
Diapers, baby bottles, a pacifier and a can-do attitude.

She smiled at her own cleverness, sliding the detailed invitation into the envelope and bringing it into the bedroom with her where she grabbed a framed 4x6 photo of them at the Nova Scotia house, removing the picture and inserting the ultra sound before setting it back down on his night stand.

Changing quickly for lunch, she slid the invitation into their mailbox after scrawling Mr. Sidney Crosby and their address on the front with the rest of the day’s mail to make it look as casual as possible.

Sidney smiled as his wife pulled up to the practice facility, honking once as she parked before stepping out of the car.

Beau Bennett let out a low whistle.

“Hey hot stuff.” He winked, making Bailey laugh as she passed her husband all together and went in for the hug with Beau.

“Hey, I think you look good, too.” Sidney said, making her laugh. She greeted him with a kiss on the lips and a long hug.

“How was practice today, kids?” She asked. “Hungry?” Beau said he had to get back to his apartment to renew his lease agreement. Sidney, on the other hand was starving, and even though Bailey had downed a large sleeve of fries and a smoothie, she was still pretty hungry, too.

“You know, I would kill for a burger right now.” She said, hopping into Sidney’s car. They’d circle back to the rink after lunch so she could pick up her car before heading home.

“A burger does sound good.” Sidney nodded, heading to a place where he knew he could sub lettuce leaves for a bun and turkey for beef if he so desired. Each donning hats and sunglasses, they got away with eating on the patio and sharing a pitcher of lemonade. Bailey was antsy, now that she knew she was pregnant and her plan was set in place, she couldn’t wait to get home.

“Eat some pop rocks today?” He asked with a laugh, noticing how bouncy she was in the car.

“I didn’t work out today,” she explained, “sometimes I get a little antsy when I don’t run or something.” She finished.

“I was gonna grill for dinner if you want to swim some laps.” He shrugged.

“Yeah, good idea, babe.” She nodded. They stopped back to pick up Bailey’s car and followed one another home, Sidney flashing his lights at her twice when he thought she was going a little fast.

“Babe, will you run and grab the mail? I totally forgot to on my way up.” She called as she got out of her car first in the garage. “I’m going to let the pups out in the back.” She added. Sidney nodded, happy to do his husbandly duty as he walked down the winding driveway to the mailbox.

He sorted through the contents; newspaper, mailer, mailer, bill, a card from his Aunt and what looked a wedding invitation. He thought it was weird that it was made out only to him, but was going to offer it to Bailey to open.

When he entered the house, he could hear the blender going, walking into the kitchen with his handful of mail.

“Anything good?” She asked, dropping berries and ice into the blender.

“We got an invitation, want to open it?” He asked, waving the silver envelope.

“Go for it, my hand are dirty.” She held up her raspberry stained fingertips. “Want some of this?” She asked, motioning to the blender, to which he nodded.

“Will you put some powder in it? I’m going to work out in a bit. Also, who sends out a wedding invitation in August?” He asked, making her grin. He liked to think he was a bit of a wedding expert now. She happily grabbed his protein powder from the cupboard as he opened the envelope. She held her breath as she watched him, both hands on the counter top. She slowly walked over to him as his eyes scanned the invitation.

Sidney read the invitation twice over and Bailey tried not to laugh at the way his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She watched him read it a third time, lips moving along as he read it in his head. Then, he looked up at her, wide-eyed and she smiled at him, placing a hand on her tummy.

“So will you RSVP?” She asked. A split second later, he was out of his seat with a holler, scooping her into a big hug.

“You’re pregnant?” He asked, incredulously.

“Seven weeks.” She nodded, making him laugh and tip his head back with a big smile, closing his eyes for a moment. “Are you happy?” She asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He opened his eyes, grinning right at her with a twinkle in his eye.

“I’m so happy.” He laughed. “Seven weeks! That’s already really pregnant!” He exclaimed. “When did you find out?” He asked, still holding her tightly to his body.

“I found out officially today. I took six tests here before I went to the doctor.” She explained.

“Six?” He asked with a laugh.

“I wanted to be sure before I went to the doctor!” She insisted. “You can see ‘em if you want, they’re still upstairs in the bathroom.” She added, reminding herself of something else exciting. “Come!” She dragged him out of the kitchen.

“You really want me to see them?” He asked with a laugh, letting her tug him up the stairs.

“Look, look, look!” She chirped as they entered the master bedroom. She sat him down on his side of the bed before grabbing the framed ultrasound, standing between his legs with her hands on his shoulders as he held the photo in his hands.

“Well, he’s handsome.” Sidney beamed.

“He?” She laughed.

“Yeah, you can totally tell.” He said in an obvious tone. “Look at his tiny guns and strong jaw line.” He pointed out, making her giggle. The photo – at best – was a grey blob situated inside of a black blob. “I’m going to be a Dad!” He laughed, squeezing her tightly. “Whoa, sorry.” He held her at arm’s distance, looking at her belly.

“Sid.” She laughed.

“We’re going to have a kid!” He grinned.

“I’m so happy you’re excited,” she kissed his lips.

“I can’t wait to tell your Dad.” Sidney replied.