Days of Black and Gold

“Taylor!” I exclaimed, a huge smile landing on my face. “How are you?”

“I’m great, but look at you! I thought you were due in March.”

“I am,” I frowned. “Did Sid not tell you we are having two?”

“It may have slipped my mind,” Sidney grumbled, placing our bags next to the couch. “Where are Mom and Dad?”

“They are getting groceries,” Taylor said before turning back to me. “You are having twins! I’m going to spoil them so much.”

“You’re going to be a great aunt,” I grinned. “And I’m hoping a great maid of honour, too?”

“For real?”

“Yeah, of course. We don’t have a date or anything. I think we’ll wait for the kids to be born before we start talking wedding.”

“I’m so honoured! Now, do you know whether you are having my nieces or my nephews?”

“We decided not to find out,” I told her, lowering myself onto the couch. “I think we were still trying to wrap our heads around preparing for two. I should have taken more pictures! Sid has been painting the guest room, which I guess is now the nursey.”

“I told you I had help,” Sidney spoke up, sitting next to me.

“Whatever,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes and leaning into his side. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell Taylor about the twins.”

“I was preoccupied.”

“You told your parents, though?”

“About that…” His voice trailed off as I exchanged a look with his sister.

“What were you planning to say when they saw me today?”

He shrugged and kissed my temple. “The truth.”

“Merry Christmas, we’re having doubles?” I chuckled.

“I was thinking twins would be a better way of putting it,” he laughed.

“Twins?” A female voice came from the doorway. “Do I hear baby talk? Which Penguin is expecting twins?”

All of our heads turned to find Trina and Troy covered in a light layer of snow.

“Trina, Troy, how are you?” I asked, as Sidney stood. He helped me off the couch, and quickly gave his father a hug.

“Margot,” Trina smiled, pulling me in for an awkward hug. “Look at you.”

“I’ve been getting that a lot lately.”

“When Sidney said you were five months along I didn’t expect you to be so large.”

“Neither did I,” I said, trying to cover Sidney’s audible gasp. Without another word, I skirted around Sidney’s mother, and stood in front of Troy.

“You look great,” he smiled, taking my hands and looking me up and down. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, giving him a hug.

“This is going to be interesting,” he whispered as we pulled apart. His eyes darted to my belly as his wife repeated her question.

“His choice, not mine.”

“Well, congrats,” he said in a low voice, squeezing my left hand and shooting me a wink.

I smiled my thanks, and turned to Trina. “Is there anything I can help with? Taylor said you were out getting groceries.”

“Everything is fine, dear.”

I nodded, and sat back on the couch next to Sidney.

“Sidney, you better answer your mother’s question,” Troy chuckled, sitting in an oversized recliner.

“Thanks, Dad,” Sidney sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “No one else from the team is pregnant, Mom. Just Margot and me.”

“Twins?” She clarified.

“Two grandbabies,” Taylor added, her lips forming a smirk. “Can you believe it, Mom?”

“I can’t say it was what I expected to hear when my only son came home for Christmas.”

“What were you expecting?” Sidney asked, unable to stop himself.

“I was expecting the engagement.”

“S-sorry?” I stammered, shocked that she hadn’t thought I had left him.

“Margot,” Sidney hissed, pulling me into him.

“I know I haven’t been the least bit inviting,” Trina said.

“You can say that again,” Sidney muttered in my ear.

“I don’t blame you,” I said, nudging Sidney in the ribs. “I made an awful first impression, and obviously the situation hasn’t been getting much better.”

“I also shouldn’t have been so quick to judge. Sidney always speaks highly of you, which should have been my first clue that you weren’t using him.”

“I get it. Sid’s one of a kind. He obviously didn’t tell you what I said the first time we met.”

“Oh, do tell!” Taylor enthused.

“You don’t have to share that,” Sidney groaned.

“Now you really have to,” Taylor grinned.

“We were talking about games I’d seen, and I mentioned watching the Pens versus the Flames.”

“She proceeded to tell me that her friend had a huge crush on me, but never got to see me play. She was pretty pleased that I was out, though.”

“Don’t say it like that,” I frowned, nudging him again. “I never like to see an athlete out with an injury, especially a concussion.”

“Yes, but then you went on to say I wasn’t as good as I thought I was, and other players were better.”

“What can I say?” I winked. “Honesty just floods out of my mouth.”

“How on earth did you two end up together?” Taylor laughed. “You are the most unlikely couple.”

“I can see why Sidney got attached,” Troy chuckled. “You’re the complete opposite of the last girl he was with.”

“I’m hoping that’s a good thing.” I bit my lip and looked up at Sidney.

“It’s a great thing,” he promised, dipping down and kissing my lips.

“It better be,” Trina said. “You two have promised together, forever.”

“Let’s see the ring,” Taylor gushed.

Slipping it off my finger, I handed it to Taylor, who was seated on the other side of Sidney. “It’s beautiful.”

“There’s no way you picked this out yourself,” Taylor joked, examining the ring closely before handing it to her father.

“Thanks for that,” Sidney griped. “I chose it. Confirmed it with Cath, but I chose it.”

“You never told me that.”

“I wanted to take all of the credit,” he murmured, as his mother handed him the ring.

“Cath will be pleased,” I giggled, as he slid the ring back onto my hand.

“I’m just happy you said yes.”