For Her

The rest of the season is basically a huge game of trial and error. For example, taking Kylie on the road? Fantastic for keeping her happy. (She’s already built an attachment to her daddy.) But not fantastic for keeping the rest of the team happy. I mean, seriously. She’s still a newborn and even though the two have their own room, hotel walls are pretty thin.

On the other hand, keeping her at home in Dallas isn’t a great option either. She hates nannies. It only works when his mom or sisters are there to stay with her. And since Candace and Cassidy are both in school, it’s not often that it’s an option.

Tyler is truly in debt to his mom, sisters, and teammates’ wives and girlfriends. If it wasn’t for them, he really wouldn’t be able to handle the stress of his new situation.

The most emotionally trying moment is the first time he had to leave Kylie behind. He has to get onto a plane for Colorado, but Kylie is staying with his sisters. It takes Candace twenty minutes to pry the little girl out of his arms, and by that time he is ridiculously late for his flight. He makes them promise to FaceTime as much as possible and call if anything happens.

The second most emotional moment is after the game, when the media asks him how he’s handling hockey and being a new father at the same time.

“It’s definitely a challenge. We’re working on it, and figuring out what works best. She’s totally worth it, though. Easily the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

And then, of course, one reporter has to ask how Kelsey is doing. Tyler knew this question would come up eventually, knowing how the media is. The PR department gave him clearance to say whatever he feels is necessary... within reason, of course. But he isn’t really prepared mentally to answer. To tell the truth.

“I-I’m not sure, actually. I haven’t spoken to Kelsey since she got up in the middle of the night, packed her bags, and left. I don’t know where she is, I don’t know what she’s doing, and I don’t know why she ran away. All I do know is that she’s missing out on getting to know the most amazing little girl any father could ask for.”

The media is quiet after that. He can tell that they all have a million questions forming in their brains. But, somehow, they all come to a silent agreement that now is not the time to ask those questions. So they move on from it.

Of course the internet is then flooded with articles and posts and tweets and whatever else about how terrible a person Kelsey is. How disgusting she is for leaving Tyler and Kylie. There’s a couple conspiracy theorists out there who speculate if Tyler is just making this up. But most hockey fans suddenly stand behind him. Even the ones who’ve always hated him.

Tyler secretly hopes that, wherever she is, Kelsey is reading every single nasty word written about her. That she’s regretting her decision to leave.

He’s not completely proud of it, but when he gets home he posts the very first picture of Kylie on his Instagram. It’s a selfie of the two of them on his back porch, with the sunset in the background. Kylie is wearing a pink Stars onesie, with a little flower headband around her head. Tyler feels accomplished because he picked it out and damn it, she looks so cute it’s fantastic. He actually gets her to smile for the selfie, and it’s easily his favorite one ever. He captions it ‘Who needs a mommy when I’ve got a daddy this awesome?’

So maybe the comment isn’t the most professional. But you know what? It’s true.

The end of the season comes way too quickly for Tyler’s liking. He was really hoping to be able to take pictures of Kylie in the Cup. It just doesn’t happen for them. It’s rough, losing in game six of the quarterfinals. He tries to take each “good job” and handshake with dignity and a smile, even though he’s crushed inside. He could have done better. He should have done better.

But once the initial sting is over, Tyler realizes there’s a lot more to look forward to in the off season than he originally thought. Because now he’s finally getting the chance to take Kylie to his home in Brampton. She’s going to get to meet her family outside of her grandparents and aunts. She’s going to meet about a hundred more “uncles.” And, most importantly, she’s finally going to meet Marshall.

They decided it would be best for the chocolate lab to spend the rest of the season with his family in Ontario when Kelsey reached eight months of pregnancy. They figured it would just be too much to have an energetic lab and a newborn in the same house.

Tyler’s completely worried about it, though. He knows his family and friends are going to love her. Because what human being in his life wouldn’t absolutely love his little girl? But there’s no way to predict how Kylie and Marshall will interact. What will he do if they don’t get along? Marshall is, essentially, his very first “child.” He’s had him since he was a puppy. They’re practically the definition of the relationship between a man and his dog. “Man’s best friend,” and all that.

Fortunately, Tyler’s fears are squashed within minutes of carrying Kylie into the house.

As expected, Marshall freaks out the second the door opens and Tyler walks through. They predicted that, though, so Cassidy is carrying Kylie. Tyler greets his old friend as always, sitting down on the floor to wrestle with him.

When Marshall finally clams down, Tyler has Cassidy hand Kylie to him. Marshall sniffs a little, curious as to what this new thing is. Tyler can practically hear his heart beating out of his chest.

But then, like a scene straight out of a movie, Marshall lays his head down on Tyler’s lap and rests his paw over Kylie’s leg.

And from that moment on, Tyler knows he’s no longer Marshall’s favorite human.