Two of Everything

“And the defending Stanley Cup Champions lose to the Chicago Blackhawks in tonight’s game. Maybe it was the absence of top defense man, Drew Doughty, maybe the pressure of the rising rivalry between the teams, or maybe fatigue; no matter what it was, a 7-2 loss seems huge, even at this point in the season.”

Amber shook her head as she turned off the TV. She hated when the Kings lost, but she really hated it when they lost and Drew wasn’t playing. He took every loss hard, but when he was injured or sick and out of the game, he took losing to a new level.

She walked around their Manhattan Beach home wondering if he would even call that night. Drew was a creature of habit, like most hockey players, but on nights the Kings lost a big game or when he knew he wouldn’t be up for conversation, he usually only texted her a simple “Goodnight,” or “Love you.” Amber figured this would be one of those nights.

As she crawled into bed her phone rang, “Hey Drew,” she tried to mask her sleepiness.

“Sorry it’s so late,” he breathed, “I just…I’m sorry about the game tonight.”

“Are you going to call every fan and apologize?” she tried to joke, but knew he would if he had the time.

“No, just my biggest one,” he chuckled a little.

“It’s one game and you need to rest that knee anyway, you wouldn’t have been at your best and they’re a damn good team babe; remember that, you guys lost to a good team, the one you almost lost to in the playoffs last year.”

“I know, they are good. How are you though? Are you good?” he asked.

“I’m okay,” she sighed.

“Still sick?”

“Every morning, right at seven,” she laughed, “I’m on a schedule, so don’t screw it up when you get
home.”

Drew chuckled again, this time sounding a little more lively, “He’s really got you trained, kind of like I
do.”

“I have you trained little boy, remember that!”

“You do,” he agreed, “Whipped.”

“That’s what I like to hear. I’m sorry you’re going to miss my appointment tomorrow.”

“I am too,” he sounded sad again, “I really wish he could have pushed it back…”

“I know, but when I called and said that things felt weird he said I had to come in right away.”

“Do things still…feel weird?” Drew asked.

“Yes, but not bad. I’ve told you, I just feel like something is different. All the girls said one thing and
I feel like everything’s hitting me harder…”

“I should be home.”
“You should be n the road with your team, like a normal hockey player. The other guys do this and…”

“And they call their wives every second they get and make sure things are okay too, I’m not weird
Amber, just concerned and wish I were there to help.”

“I know you babe, I do too, but this is the price we pay so you can live your dream.”

“My dream is a family with you,” he told her for the millionth time, “I’d give this all up…”

“And then what? We’d live in box? I’d have to give up my shoe collection? Hell no!” she laughed.

“You do have a lot of shoes…”

“And you have a lot of hats Drew, same thing…”

“Sure,” he laughed too, “Go to sleep baby, call me after your appointment.”

“I will. I love you Drew.”

“I love you too wifey.”

--

“Mrs. Doughty, I see you’ve popped,” the doctor walked into the exam room with a grin on his face.

“I most certainly have,” she rubbed her belly, “Isn’t it too early?”

He shrugged, “Some women pop early and get bigger and bigger, some pop early and only grow a little more, and some women can hide a pregnancy until they’re holding a baby; every woman and every pregnancy is different.”

“Clearly,” she sighed.

The doctor went through the normal exam and everything was fine. He rubbed the jelly on her stomach and she handed the nurse her phone, “Will you take video?”

“Sure will,” she smiled back at the young pregnant woman.

“Alrighty Amber, let’s see that baby of yours.”

It was the first time they were supposed to hear the heartbeat of the baby and Amber felt awful that Drew wouldn’t be there to hear it, so she was recording it for him.

To be blunt, Amber could have cared less about having a baby at this point in her life, but Drew wanted to start a family the second they got married. They had gotten married back in late July in their hometown of London, Ontario and Connie, his mother, had sworn up and down that there would be children nine months to the day of their wedding. Drew was a tried and true traditionalist when it came to children; he didn’t want to have them before they were married and he wanted a family right away afterwards. Amber could have waited another year or so, but the look on her husband’s face every time kids were brought up was too sweet for her to not give in.

“Oh,” the doctor’s smile turned into a frown.

“What is it?” Amber became alarmed.

“No, no, “he shook his head at her, “Calm down, everything is looking great. It’s starting to make sense why you got so big so fast,” he smiled at her, “Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Doughty,” he glanced at her phone, “You’re having twins.”

She stopped breathing for a second and then waved at the nurse to stop filiming, “Excuse me?”

“There’s baby A and there’s baby B,” he pointed to the screen, “We can’t see the genders yet, but there are two…”

He kept talking, but all Amber could focuse on was that there were two lives growing inside her.

After her appointment, Amber went home and walked into the nursery. She looked at the pictures they had cut out of magazines and tapped to the walls. All the ideas were centered around one baby, none of them would work for twins, so she tore them off. Her phone rang in her back pocket, but she ignored it. she knew it was Drew and she knew she was supposed to call him right after the appointment, but she hadn’t and now he was probably worried.